Reading the Future with The Marauders
by TheQueen117
Summary: DISCONTINUED
1. The NotJames

**Disclaimer: I own nothig**

**Reading the Future with The Marauders **

**Chapter: The Not-James**

The Gryffindor boy's dorm was silent except for the occasional sneeze or rustle of sheets as the Marauders sat in silence. The Quidditch game had been canceled that day because of the intense storm outside that continued to beat against the ancient castle's stone walls and they had been left with nothing to do.

Remus was busy completing that week's homework. James was letting his mind wander as he played with his stolen snitch. Peter was studying for his DADA exam the next day and Sirius was half asleep as he waited for something to happen. Finally he couldn't take it anymore, "I'm Boooooored!"

James sighed, he had been wondering how long it would take for his friend to snap, but at the same time he couldn't help but do a little happy dance in his head. It had only been 6 months ago that Sirius had tried to feed Snape to Moony. They had forgiven him about 4 months after. Sirius had finally forgiven himself about 3 weeks ago and was starting to become more comfortable around them again.

"Well, why don't you do your homework then" asked Remus.

"Well, cause that's boring too." Stated Sirius grinning cheekily at Remus.

""Well…" started Peter before a large crack was heard and a bungle of robes fell in the middle of the boy's room.

The boys jumped back in fright, their books and papers falling to join the bundled mass.

'Who do you think that is?" asked Sirius his voice barely above a whisper yet carried through the silent room.

Suddenly a soft groan came from the bundle and slowly it sat up slowly. A gasp was heard throughout the room as they looked at the face of…

**(I seriously though about ending it, but I'm like NAHH)**

James Potter!

The not-James groaned and rubbed his head. He seemed to have gotten a bump because he hissed in pain as he touched the swollen part of his head. The not-James opened a single eye and looked around in a dazed manner. "God… last time I go to the library. It's a f***ing death trap."

"Um…Hi?" mumbled Remus and the not-James seemed to notice the other occupants for the first time.

"Um…Hi, what's going on Professor? Why are you my age and like … not old?"

Remus stared at the not-James trying to understand what he was saying. The not-James raised an eyebrow and stared at him with an amused expression, "Oi… what's with you being at Hogwarts anyway?"

"Um… James?" asked Sirius and as the not-James looked at him he saw his eyes widen with shock and pull out his wand. "Si… Sirius what are you going here?" Sirius stared wide-eyed as the not-James backed into the door and looked like he was about to bolt.

Suddenly James cried, "Wait where are you going?"

The not- James turned to stare at the real James, "Oh dear lord… What year is it?"

Remus looked taken aback before answering, "It's 1976. Why?"

The boy stared at Remus before breaking into an odd grin, "Hello, my name is Harry James Potter. I'm that guys (points at James) son."

Everyone's jaws had hit the ground in shock.

"I'm from 1996 and yeah…"

Before anyone could say anything a second flash filled through the room and blinded everyone. When the light finally receded the occupants noticed 4 very thick books sitting in the middle of the floor.

Harry was the first to move he picked the top book and read the title, **"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban."**

Harry quickly read the back

"**For twelve long years, the dead fortress of Azkaban held an infamous prisoner named Sirius Black."**

'What?" cried the Marauders

"**Convicted of killing thirteen people with a single curse, he was said to be the heir apparent to the Dark Lord, Voldemort"**

"I would never! I wouldn't join that madman!" Sirius cried

"**Now he has escaped,"**

"Leave it to Sirius to break out of the heaviest guarded places in the world," teased James

"**Leaving only two clues as to where he might be headed: Harry Potter defeated of You-Know-Who."**

"You did what? That's amazing!" yelled Peter speaking for the first time that night.

"… **Was Black's downfall as well? And the Azkaban guards heard Black muttering in his sleep, "he's at Hogwarts… he's at Hogwarts. Harry Potter isn't safe, not even within the walls of his magical school, surrounded by his friends. Because on top of it all, there may well be a traitor in their midst."**

"I wonder who…" mumbled Remus

'Well," said Harry, "It sounds like my third year at Hogwarts. Do you think we should read it?"

"Of course," said Remus

"I wanna know what happened to me," said Sirius

"I'll read first," said Harry. He opened the first page to stop when he came across a letter. "Someone sent us a letter. It says…

_Dear Everyone,_

_I sent Harry back with the books in hopes of bettering the future. I want you to promise not to judge anyone in the story until the very end and NOT to attack each other. The words will only appear on the page after you have taken the oath not to physically harm anyone in the room._

_From_

_TRL_


	2. New Account

**I have made a new account called TheAngystQueen. It will be for more mature fics (M). Please, if you are mature enough, come check me out. Also, my fanfics "What the Hell is Fanfiction?" And "Shit Happens" will be moved to this new account in two or three days because they are M in rating. **

**Thank You**

**Vampirerule (aka HM)**

**And Now**

**TheAngystQueen (aka HM)**


	3. Owl Post

**Disclaimer: I own NOTHING! It all belongs to J. K. Rowling**

**Reading The Future with The Marauder **

**Chapter: Owl Post**

* * *

"What do you think?" asked Harry

Sirius raised his wand over his left hand and said, "I, Sirius Orion Black, solemnly swear not to physically harm a single living thing in this room until the 4 Harry Potter books are finished."

James went next, "I, James Harold Potter, solemnly swear not to physically harm a single living thing in this room until the 4 Harry Potter books are finished."

Remus copied them, "I, Remus John Lupin, solemnly swear not to physically harm a single living thing in this room until the 4 Harry Potter books are finished."

Finally Peter called, "I, Peter Patrice Petergrew, solemnly swear not to physically harm a single living thing in this room until the 4 Harry Potter books are finished."

Harry stared down at the page and smiled, "The words have appeared so… the first chapter is **"Owl Post."**

**Harry Potter was a highly unusual boy in many ways. For one thing, he hated the summer holidays more than any other time of year.**

What! Why?" asked James, "I'm not… mean am I?"

Harry didn't answer

**For another, he really wanted to do his homework but was forced to do it in secret, in the dead of night.**

"Sick and wrong, pup," cried Sirius

"Pup?" asked James

"Well, foul sounds odd and prongslet…. Not so much."

**And he also happened to be a wizard.**

"That's not odd," piped in Peter

**It was nearly midnight, and he was lying on his stomach in bed, the blankets drawn right over his head like a tent, a flashlight in one hand and a large leather-bound book (A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot) propped open against the pillow. Harry moved the tip of his eagle-feather quill down the page, frowning as he looked for something that would help him write his essay, 'Witch Burning in the Fourteenth Century Was Completely Pointless — discuss.'**

"Haha! I remember that essay," said Remus

"Of course you do." Said Sirius as he rolled his eyes

**The quill paused at the top of a likely looking paragraph. Harry pushed his round glasses up the bridge of his nose, moved his flashlight closer to the book, and read:**

"Do we have to?" asked James

"Yes," said Harry exasperated, "Now shut it"

**Non-magic people (more commonly known as Muggles) were particularly afraid of magic in medieval times, but not very good at recognizing it. On the rare occasion that they did catch a real witch or wizard, burning had no effect whatsoever. The witch or wizard would perform a basic Flame-Freezing Charm and then pretend to shriek with pain while enjoying a gentle, tickling sensation. Indeed, Wendelin the Weird enjoyed being burned so much that she allowed herself to be caught no less than forty-seven times in various disguises.**

"She's my role model," smiled Sirius

No one had anything to add to that.

**Harry put his quill between his teeth and reached underneath his pillow for his inkbottle and a roll of parchment. Slowly and very carefully he unscrewed the inkbottle, dipped his quill into it, and began to write, pausing every now and then to listen, because if any of the Dursleys heard the scratching of his quill on their way to the bathroom, he'd probably find himself locked in the cupboard under the stairs for the rest of the summer.**

"Dursleys?" asked James, "What happened to me?"

"What do they mean by cupboard?" asked Sirius seething

"Um… that used to be my old bedroom…" mumbled Harry.

There was a moment of silence before the marauders started to curse out the Dursleys. Remus looked down right murderus muttering something about the full moon and dead muggles.

It took a good 15 minutes for everyone to calm down before Harry started again.

**The Dursley family of Number Four, Privet Drive, was the reason that Harry never enjoyed his summer holidays. Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and their son, Dudley, were Harry's only living relatives. **

"Oh god…." Said Sirius, "Only living relatives… James is _dead_."

**They were Muggles, and they had a very medieval attitude toward magic. Harry's dead parents, **

"Oh god!" cried Remus, "You can't be dead!"

"That's why the books were sent," said Harry calmly, "We're going to change it."

…**who had been a witch and wizard themselves, were never mentioned under the Dursleys' roof. For years, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had hoped that if they kept Harry as downtrodden as possible, they would be able to squash the magic out of him. **

"That's insane!" cried Peter, "You can go insane and your magic will backlash!"

**To their fury, they had not been unsuccessful. These days they lived in terror of anyone finding out that Harry had spent most of the last two years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The most they could do, however, was to lock away Harry's spell books, wand, cauldron, and broomstick at the start of the summer break, and forbid him to talk to the neighbors.**

"They can't do that!" cried James, "Won't your muggle friends worry?"

"Don't have any," stated Harry before reading again.

**This separation from his spell books had been a real problem for Harry, because his teachers at Hogwarts had given him a lot of holiday work. One of the essays, a particularly nasty one about shrinking potions, was for Harry's least favorite teacher, Professor Snape, who would be delighted to have an excuse to give Harry detention for a month. **

"Oh god you're screwed," said James, "He won't like you cause you have me face."

"Yeah," said Harry sarcastically, "Thanks for that."

**Harry had therefore seized his chance in the first week of the holidays. While Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley had gone out into the front garden to admire Uncle Vernon's new company car (in very loud voices, so that the rest of the street would notice it too), **

"Gits."

**Harry had crept downstairs, picked the lock on the cupboard under the stairs,**

"Oh, our little marauder," cooed Sirius before being pelted with a pillow via Harry

**Grabbed some of his books, and hidden them in his bedroom. As long as he didn't leave spots of ink on the sheets, the Dursleys need never know that he was studying magic by night.**

"Smart," said Remus nodding in approval.

**Harry was particularly keen to avoid trouble with his aunt and uncle at the moment, as they were already in an especially bad mood with him, all because he'd received a telephone call from a fellow wizard one week into the school vacation.**

"This won't end well," said Peter shaking his head sadly, "Never give a pureblood a phone…"

**Ron Weasley, who was one of Harry's best friends at Hogwarts, came from a whole family of wizards. This meant that he knew a lot of things Harry didn't, but had never used a telephone before.**

**Most unluckily, it had been Uncle Vernon who had answered the call.**

"This just keeps on getting better and better," sighed Peter

**"Vernon Dursley speaking."**

**Harry, who happened to be in the room at the time, froze as he heard Ron's voice answer.**

"Don't stand there RUN!," said James, "He'll kill you once he realizes who's on the other end."

**"HELLO? HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? I — WANT — TO — TALK — TO — HARRY — POTTER!"**

**Ron was yelling so loudly that Uncle Vernon jumped and held the receiver a foot away from his ear, staring at it with an expression of mingled fury and alarm.**

"James did the same thing," sighed Peter

**"WHO IS THIS?" he roared in the direction of the mouthpiece. "WHO ARE YOU?"**

**"RON — WEASLEY!" Ron bellowed back, as though he and Uncle Vernon were speaking from opposite ends of a football field. "I'M — A — FRIEND — OF — HARRY'S — FROM — SCHOOL —"**

"Bad idea," said Remus

**Uncle Vernon's small eyes swiveled around to Harry, who was rooted to the spot.**

**"THERE IS NO HARRY POTTER HERE!" he roared, now holding the receiver at arm's length, as though frightened it might explode. "I DON'T KNOW WHAT SCHOOL YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT! NEVER CONTACT ME AGAIN! DON'T YOU COME NEAR MY FAMILY!"**

**And he threw the receiver back onto the telephone as if dropping a poisonous spider.**

"Idiot…"

**The fight that had followed had been one of the worst ever.**

"He didn't hit you right!" asked James

Harry shrugged, "After I started learning magic they never lifted a hand against me. They mostly just yelled."

Sirius walked over and hugged Harry. His eyes were wet.

"People like them deserve to burn." Growled Remus

James went over and hugged Harry too, "I'm so sorry, son. We'll fix this and they'll never touch you again."

**"HOW DARE YOU GIVE THIS NUMBER TO PEOPLE LIKE — PEOPLE LIKE YOU!" Uncle Vernon had roared, spraying Harry with spit.**

**Ron obviously realized that he'd gotten Harry into trouble, because he hadn't called again. Harry's other best friend from Hogwarts, Hermione Granger, hadn't been in touch either. Harry suspected that Ron had warned Hermione not to call, which was a pity, because Hermione, the cleverest witch in Harry's year, had Muggle parents, knew perfectly well how to use a telephone, and would probably have had enough sense not to say that she went to Hogwarts.**

"I bet she isn't as smart as my wonderful Lily Flower," cooed James.

**So Harry had had no word from any of his wizarding friends for five long weeks, and this summer was turning out to be almost as bad as the last one. There was just one very small improvement — after swearing that he wouldn't use her to send letters to any of his friends, Harry had been allowed to let his owl, Hedwig, out at night. Uncle Vernon had given in because of the racket Hedwig made if she was locked in her cage all the time.**

"Smart Owl," cooed Sirius

Harry stared at him for a while before shaking his head

**Harry finished writing about Wendlin the Weird and paused to listen again. The silence in the dark house was broken only by the distant grunts snores of his enormous cousin Dudley. It must be very late, Harry thought. His eyes were itching with tiredness. Perhaps he'd finished this essay tomorrow night…**

"Yup go to bed Harry!" said James

"You know you're talking to a book right?" asked Remus

"…"

**He replaced the top of the ink bottle: pulled an old pillowcase from under his bed; put the flashlight, A History of Magic, his essay, quill, and ink inside it; got out if bed; and hid the lot under a loose floorboard under his bed. Then he stood up, stretched, and checked the time on the luminous alarm clock on his bedside table.**

**It was one o'clock in the morning. Harry's stomach gave a funny jolt. He had been thirteen years old, without realizing it, for a whole hour.**

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" cried everyone (except Harry)

**Yet another unusual thing about Harry was how little he looked forward to his birthdays. He had never received a birthday card in his life. The Dursleys had completely ignored his last two birthdays, and he had no reason to suppose they would remember this one.**

"DAMN DURSLEYS" screamed Sirius

**Harry walked across the dark room, past Hedwig's large, empty cage, to the open window. He leaned on the sill, the cool night air pleasant on his face after a long time under the blankets. Hedwig had been absent for two nights now. Harry wasn't worried about her: she'd been gone this long before. But he hoped she'd be back soon—she was the only living creature in this house that didn't flinch at the sight of him.**

Sirius got up and pulled Harry into a hug. "I know how you feel." Harry nodded, but push Sirius away. Harry had missed his godfather, but Harry had to let the Marauders find out about the traitor in their own time.

**Harry, though still rather small and skinny for his age, had grown a few inches over the last year. His jet-black hair, however, was just as it always had been—stubbornly untidy, whatever he did to it. **

"Sorry about that…" chuckled James as he ran his hand through his own hair

**The eyes behind his glasses were bright green, **

"Just like my pretty Lily-flower," smiled James dreamily

"Wait…" said Sirius as he looked at Harry, "If he has eyes like lily…"

"Yeah, Lily Potter nee Evens is my mother." Smiled Harry

"YES!" screamed James as he danced around the room, "I got Lily! I got Lily!"

It took a silencing charm and several pillows to get James to sit back down.

**And on his forehead, clearly visible through his hair, was a thin scar, shaped like a bolt of lightning.**

"Can we see it?" asked Peter

Harry pushed back his bangs

"Wicked," murmured Sirius\Harry frowned, "Not really."

**Of all the unusual things about Harry, this scar was the most extraordinary of all. It was not, as the Dursleys had pretended for ten years, a souvenir of the car crash that had killed Harry's parents, because Lily and James Potter had not died in a car crash. **

"That is just sick! I bet they lied about magic too," cried Remus

'They did," nodded Harry, "I only found out when Hagrid gave me my Hogwarts letter."

**They had been murdered, **

"I really don't want to hear how," mumbled Sirius as he buried his head in his hands.

**Murdered by the most feared Dark wizard for a hundred years, Lord Voldemort. Harry had escaped from the same attack with nothing more than a scar on his forehead, where Voldemort's curse, instead of killing him, had rebounded upon its originator. Barely alive, Voldemort had fled...**

"How did you do it?" asked James

"Mum sacrificed herself for me which created a blood protection." Said Harry

"Lily saved you…" James whispered.

**But Harry had come face-to-face with him at Hogwarts. Remembering their last meeting as he stood at the dark window, Harry had to admit he was lucky even to have reached his thirteenth birthday.**

"Why!" asked James

"I'll tell you later," said Harry

"End of the chapter!" said Sirius with a glare.

"Fine," said Harry while thinking

**He scanned the starry sky for a sign of Hedwig, perhaps soaring back to him with a dead mouse dangling from her beak, expecting praise. Gazing absently over the rooftops, it was a few seconds before Harry realized what he was seeing.**

'What!" asked Peter

**Silhouetted against the golden moon, and growing larger every moment, was a large, strangely lopsided creature, and it was flapping in Harry's direction. He stood quite still, watching it sink lower and lower. For a split second he hesitated, his hand on the window latch, wondering whether to slam it shut. But then the bizarre creature soared over one of the street lamps of Privet Drive, and Harry, realizing what it was, leapt aside.**

**Through the window soared three owls, two of them holding up the third, which appeared to be unconscious. They landed with a soft flump on Harry's bed, and the middle owl, which was large and gray, keeled right over and lay motionless. There was a large package tied to its legs.**

"Birthday presents," screamed Sirius and James

**Harry recognized the unconscious owl at once—his name was Errol, and he belonged to the Weasley family. Harry dashed to the bed, untied the cords around Errol's legs, took off the parcel, and then carried Errol to Hedwig's cage. Errol opened one bleary eye, gave a feeble hoot of thanks, and began to gulp some water.**

"Poor owl," cooed Sirius

Harry looked at his god father before realizing, _Azkaban made Sirius sane…_

**Harry turned back to the remaining owls. One of them, the large snowy female, was his own Hedwig. She, too, was carrying a parcel and looked extremely pleased with herself. She gave Harry an affectionate nip with her beak as he removed her burden, then flew across the room to join Errol.**

'Oddly proud owl," remarked Peter

Harry nodded, "Love her."

**Harry didn't recognize the third owl, a handsome tawny one, but he knew at once where it had come from, because in addition to a third package, it was carrying a letter bearing the Hogwarts crest. When Harry relieved this owl of its burden, it ruffled its feathers importantly, stretched its wings, and took off through the window into the night.**

**Harry sat down on his bed and grabbed Errol's package, ripped off the brown paper, and discovered a present wrapped in gold, and his first ever birthday card. Fingers trembling slightly, he opened the envelope. Two pieces of paper fell out—a letter and a newspaper clipping.**

**The clipping had clearly come out of the wizarding newspaper, the Daily Prophet, because the people in the black-and-white picture were moving. Harry picked up the clipping, smoothed it out, and read:**

_**MINISTRY OF MAGIC EMPLOYEE SCOOPS GRAND PRIZE**_

_**Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office at the Ministry of Magic, has won the annual Daily Prophet Grand Prize Galleon Draw.**_

_**A delighted Mr. Weasley told the Daily Prophet, "We will be spending the gold on a summer holiday in Egypt, where our eldest son, Bill, works as a curse breaker for Gringotts Wizarding Bank."**_

_**The Weasley family will be spending a month in Egypt, returning for the start of the new school year at Hogwarts, which five of the Weasley children currently attend.**_

**Harry scanned the moving photograph, and a grin spread across his face as he saw all nine of the Weasleys waving furiously at him, standing in front of a large pyramid. Plump little Mrs. Weasley; tall, balding Mr. Weasley; six sons; and one daughter, all (though the black-and-white picture didn't show it) with flaming-red hair. Right in the middle of the picture was Ron, tall and gangling, with his pet rat, Scabbers, on his shoulder and his arm around his little sister, Ginny.**

"He your best mate?" asked James.

"Yup!," nodded Harry with a smile, "Ron and Hermione."

**Harry couldn't think of anyone who deserved to win a large pile of gold more than the Weasleys, who were very nice and extremely poor.**

"They really are a nice family," said Sirius

**He picked up Ron's letter and unfolded it.**

_**Dear Harry,**_

_**Happy birthday!**_

_**Look, I'm really sorry about that telephone call.**_

"How come you never apologized?" asked Peter

"I didn't need to," replied James

_**I hope the Muggles didn't give you a hard time. I asked Dad, and he reckons I shouldn't have shouted.**_

_**It's amazing here in Egypt. Bill's taken us around all the tombs and you wouldn't believe the curses those old Egyptian wizards put on them. Mum wouldn't let Ginny come in the last one.**_

_**I couldn't believe it when Dad won the Daily Prophet Draw. Seven hundred galleons! Most of it's gone on this trip, but they're going to buy me a new wand for next year.**_

**Harry remembered only too well the occasion when Ron's old wand had snapped. It had happened when the car the two of them had been flying to Hogwarts had crashed into a tree on the school grounds.**

"Why did you fly to Hogwarts?" asked James cautiously

'Second Year"

_**We'll be back about a week before term starts and we'll be going up to London to get my wand and our new books. Any chance of meeting you there?**_

_**Don't let the Muggles get you down!**_

_**Try and come to London,**_

_**Ron**_

_**P.S. Percy's Head Boy. He got the letter last week.**_

**Harry glanced back at the photograph. Percy, who was in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts, was looking particularly smug.**

"Sounds like a git," stated Peter

"Oi," cried James, "Don't judge."

"Hypocrite much?" teases Sirius

**He had pinned his Head Boy badge to the fez perched jauntily on top of his neat hair, his horn-rimmed glasses flashing in the Egyptian sun.**

"Never mind," said James, "He's a git…"

**Harry now turned to his present and unwrapped it. Inside was what looked like a miniature glass spinning top. There was another note from Ron beneath it. **

_**Harry — this is a Pocket Sneakoscope. If there's someone untrustworthy around, it's supposed to light up and spin. Bill says it's rubbish sold for wizard tourists and isn't reliable, because it kept lighting up at dinner last night. But he didn't realize Fred and George had put beetles in his soup.**_

_**Bye — Ron**_

"Those are pretty useful," agreed Remus

**Harry put the Pocket Sneakoscope on his bedside table, where it stood quite still, balanced on its point, reflecting the luminous hands of his clock. He looked at it happily for a few seconds, then picked up the parcel Hedwig had brought.**

"Is this is from Hermione?" asked James

**Inside this, too, there was a wrapped present, a card, and a letter, this time from Hermione.**

_**Dear Harry,**_

_**Ron wrote to me and told me about his phone call to your Uncle Vernon. I do hope you're all right.**_

_**I'm on holiday in France at the moment and I didn't know how I was going to send this to you — what if they'd opened it at customs? — but then Hedwig turned up! I think she wanted to make sure you got something for your birthday for a change.**_

_**I bought your present by owl-order; there was an advertisement in the Daily Prophet (I've been getting it delivered; it's so good to keep up with what's going on in the wizarding world). Did you see that picture of Ron and his family a week ago? I bet he's learning loads. I'm really jealous — the ancient Egyptian wizards were fascinating.**_

_**There's some interesting local history of witchcraft here, too. I've rewritten my whole History of Magic essay to include some of the things I've found out, I hope it's not too long — it's two rolls of parchment more than Professor Binns asked for.**_

_**Ron says he's going to be in London in the last week of the holidays. Can you make it? Will your aunt and uncle let you come? I really hope you can. If not, I'll see you on the Hogwarts Express on September first!**_

_**Love from Hermione**_

_**P.S. Ron says Percy's Head Boy. I'll bet Percy's really pleased. Ron doesn't seem too happy about it.**_

"Why dose Ron hate the fact that Percy is Head Boy," asked Remus

'He's a big headed git." Stated Harry simply

**Harry laughed as he put Hermione's letter aside and picked up her present. It was very heavy. Knowing Hermione, he was sure it would be a large book full of very difficult spells**

"Just like Remmy," nodded James

— **but it wasn't. His heart gave a huge bound as he ripped back the paper and saw a sleek black leather case, with silver words stamped across it, reading Broomstick Servicing Kit.**

"I want it!" screamed Sirius and James

**There was a large jar of Fleetwood's High-Finish Handle Polish, a pair of gleaming silver Tail-Twig Clippers, a tiny brass compass to clip on your broom for long journeys, and a Handbook of Do-It-Yourself Broomcare.**

**Apart from his friends, the thing that Harry missed most about Hogwarts was Quidditch, the most popular sport in the magical world — highly dangerous, very exciting, and played on broomsticks. Harry happened to be a very good Quidditch player; he had been the youngest person in a century to be picked for one of the Hogwarts House teams.**

"That's my boy," cried James

**One of Harry's most prized possessions was his Nimbus Two Thousand racing broom.**

Sirius and James looked at each other happily. They couldn't wait for that broom.

**Harry put the leather case aside and picked up his last parcel. He recognized the untidy scrawl on the brown paper at once: this was from Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper. He tore off the top layer of paper and glimpsed something green and leathery, but before he could unwrap it properly, the parcel gave a strange quiver, and whatever was inside it snapped loudly — as though it had jaws.**

"Oh Hagrid…"

**Harry froze. He knew that Hagrid would never send him anything dangerous on purpose, but then, Hagrid didn't have a normal person's view of what was dangerous. Hagrid had been known to befriend giant spiders,**

"I'm sorry?" asked Remus, "Did you say Giant Spiders."

"Yup,"

"When?" asked Peter

"Second year…"

**buy vicious, three-headed dogs from men in pubs, and sneak illegal dragon eggs into his cabin.**

"HE DID WHAT?" asked James

"First Year…"

**Harry poked the parcel nervously. It snapped loudly again. Harry reached for the lamp on his bedside table, gripped it firmly in one hand, and raised it over his head, ready to strike. Then he seized the rest of the wrapping paper in his other hand and pulled.**

"Don't open it!" cried Peter

**And out fell — a book.**

"What?"

**Harry just had time to register its handsome green cover, emblazoned with the golden title The Monster Book of Monsters, before it flipped onto its edge and scuttled sideways along the bed like some weird crab.**

"That's normal?" mumbled Peter

**"Uh-oh," Harry muttered.**

"No shit," laughed Sirius

**The book toppled off the bed with a loud clunk and shuffled rapidly across the room. Harry followed it stealthily. The book was hiding in the dark space under his desk. Praying that the Dursleys were still fast asleep, Harry got down on his hands and knees and reached toward it.**

"Brilliant Idea."

**"Ouch!"**

**The book snapped shut on his hand and then flapped past him, still scuttling on its covers. Harry scrambled around, threw himself forward, and managed to flatten it. Uncle Vernon gave a loud, sleepy grunt in the room next door.**

"Oh don't wake up!" whispered Remus

**Hedwig and Errol watched interestedly as Harry clamped the struggling book tightly in his arms, hurried to his chest of drawers, and pulled out a belt, which he buckled tightly around it. The Monster Book shuddered angrily, but could no longer flap and snap, so Harry threw it down on the bed and reached for Hagrid's card.**

_**Dear Harry,**_

_**Happy Birthday!**_

_**Think you might find this useful for next year.**_

_**Won't say no more here. Tell you when I see you.**_

_**Hope the Muggles are treating you right.**_

_**All the best,**_

_**Hagrid**_

"Why would it be helpful," asked Sirius

**It struck Harry as ominous that Hagrid thought a biting book would come in useful, but he put Hagrid's card up next to Ron's and Hermione's, grinning more broadly than ever. Now there was only the letter from Hogwarts left.**

**Noticing that it was rather thicker than usual, Harry slit open the envelope, pulled out the first page of parchment within, and read:**

_**Dear Mr. Potter,**_

_**Please note that the new school year will begin on September the first. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross station, platform nine and three-quarters, at eleven o'clock.**_

_**Third years are permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade on certain weekends. Please give the enclosed permission form to your parent or guardian to sign.**_

_**A list of books for next year is enclosed.**_

_**Yours sincerely,**_

_**Professor M. McGonagall**_

_**Deputy Headmistress**_

"The Dursleys better sigh it."

**Harry pulled out the Hogsmeade permission form and looked at it, no longer grinning. It would be wonderful to visit Hogsmeade on weekends; he knew it was an entirely wizarding village, and he had never set foot there. But how on earth was he going to persuade Uncle Vernon or Aunt Petunia to sign the form?**

"Probably not," growled Sirius

"Gits," snapped Peter, "I wish we could turn them all into fish and set Minnie on them."

James snorted, "Know there's an image."

**He looked over at the alarm clock. It was now two o'clock in the morning.**

"GO to bed," scolded James

"Parenting much…" said Sirius

"I'm his dad!" protested James

"He's you age!" joked Sirius

**Deciding that he'd worry about the Hogsmeade form when he woke up, Harry got back into bed and reached up to cross off another day on the chart he'd made for himself, counting down the days left until his return to Hogwarts. Then he took off his glasses and lay down; eyes open, facing his three birthday cards.**

"Thank you." Said James

Everyone else just rolled their eyes.

**Extremely unusual though he was, at that moment Harry Potter felt just like everyone else — glad, for the first time in his life, that it was his birthday.**

That's nice…" said Peter

Harry nodded before asking, "Who wants to read next?"

"I will," said Sirius while taking the book from Harry

* * *

**Author Note:**

**That was fast. I liked the way the character's interacted in this chapter so I didn't change much, but later on there will be differences.**

**Lots of Hugs**

**HM**


	4. Aunt Marge's Big Mistake

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Reading the Future with the Marauders**

**Chapter: Aunt Marge's Big Mistake**

* * *

Sirius took the book from Harry, but Remus quickly grabbed it ('Hey' cried Sirius) and cleared his throat,

**"Aunt Marge's Big Mistake," **

"Well," Sirius said, "This will be interesting… WAIT! Harry, you're supposed to tell us about your first two years!"

"Oh can't we do it after this chapter, Please Siri!" begged Harry with two big puppy eyes

Sirius stayed strong for three seconds before giving in. He turned to the book, blushing.

**Harry went down to breakfast the next morning to find the three Dursleys already sitting around the kitchen table. They were watching a brand-new television, a welcome-home-for-the-summer present for Dudley, who had been complaining loudly about the long walk between the fridge and the television in the living room. **

"What! Even I'm not that lazy," shouted Peter

**Dudley had spent most of the summer in the kitchen, his piggy little eyes fixed on the screen and his five chins wobbling as he ate continually.**

"That's sick, really sick."

**Harry sat down between Dudley and Uncle Vernon, a large, beefy man with very little neck and a lot of mustache. Far from wishing Harry a happy birthday, none of the Dursleys made any sign that they had noticed Harry enter the room, but Harry was far too used to this to care. **

"That son of a #$%!" snarled Sirius

**He helped himself to a piece of toast and then looked up at the reporter on the television, who was halfway through a report on an escaped convict.**

"I was wondering when I would show up…." Mumbles Sirius.

"It might not be you," said James optimistically

"… **the public is warned that Black is armed and extremely dangerous. A special hot line has been set up, and any sighting of Black should be reported immediately."**

"Never mind…"

"How dangerous are you Sirius? I mean Muggle news?" Remus asked

"**No need to tell us he's no good," snorted Uncle Vernon, staring over the top of his newspaper at the prisoner. "Look at the state of him, the filthy layabout! Look at his hair!"**

"NOT MY HAIR!" shrieked Sirius as he grabbed a fist of his hair

**He shot a nasty look sideways at Harry, whose untidy hair had always been a source of great annoyance to Uncle Vernon. **

"Sorry"

"Ahh…I've been told it makes me look like I just had a good shag so I'm not too upset." Joked Harry

"Oh well, hey there's the plus side to everything." James shrugged

**Compared to the man on the television, however, whose gaunt face was surrounded by a matted, elbow-length tangle, Harry felt very well groomed indeed.**

"NOOOOOO," screamed Sirius, "I'll never let that happen to you…" whispered Sirius as he stroked his hair.

James and Remus looked at each other and shook their heads.

Harry was speechless, "Dad…Does he do this often…" he asked

James shook his head, "He's very vain…"

Sirius glared at them, "I am not!" before gesturing to Remus to turning back to the book trying to ignore James's smug look.

**The reporter had reappeared.**

"**The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will announce today —"**

"**Hang on!" barked Uncle Vernon, staring furiously at the reporter. "You didn't tell us where that maniac's escaped from! What use is that? Lunatic could be coming up the street right now!"**

"He got you there. You are mad Padds,"

"Shut it James!"

**Aunt Petunia, who was bony and horse-faced, whipped around and peered intently out of the kitchen window. Harry knew Aunt Petunia would simply love to be the one to call the hot line number. She was the nosiest woman in the world and spent most of her life spying on the boring, law-abiding neighbors.**

'What a life," commented Peter

"**When will they learn," said Uncle Vernon, pounding the table with his large purple fist, "that hanging's the only way to deal with these people?"**

"God these people are just…UGH" stammered Remus

"**Very true," said Aunt Petunia, who was still squinting into next-door's runner-beans.**

**Uncle Vernon drained his teacup, glanced at his watch, and added, "I'd better be off in a minute, Petunia. Marge's train gets in at ten."**

"Here comes the main attraction." Smirked Sirius

This earned a chuckle from Harry.

**Harry, whose thoughts had been upstairs with the Broomstick Servicing Kit, was brought back to earth with an unpleasant bump.**

"How unpleasant?" asked Sirius

"I'm not answering because it's just figurative language Siri,"

"**Aunt Marge?" he blurted out. "Sh-she's not coming here, is she?"**

"Hmph…I don't like the sound of that," James said narrowing her eyes.

"Is she that bad," Peter asked.

"I think you'll see," Harry said.

**Aunt Marge was Uncle Vernon's sister. Even though she was not a blood relative of Harry's (whose mother had been Aunt Petunia's sister), he had been forced to call her 'Aunt' all his life. Aunt Marge lived in the country, in a house with a large garden, where she bred bulldogs. **

"She can't be that bad then," Sirius said.

"Oh she is," Harry said.

**She didn't often stay at Privet Drive, because she couldn't bear to leave her precious dogs, but each of her visits stood out horribly vividly in Harry's mind.**

**At Dudley's fifth birthday party, Aunt Marge had whacked Harry around the shins with her walking stick to stop him from beating Dudley at musical statues. A few years later, she had turned up at Christmas with a computerized robot for Dudley and a box of dog biscuits for Harry.**

"She gave you dog biscuits," James said incredibly.

"Yeah."

"Dog biscuits aren't that bad," Sirius said causing James to turn on him.

"Not everyone is half-dog!"

**On her last visit, the year before Harry started at Hogwarts, Harry had accidentally trodden on the tail of her favorite dog. Ripper had chased Harry out into the garden and up a tree, and Aunt Marge had refused to call him off until past midnight. **

"What a horrible woman,"

Harry shrugged; he really didn't know the answer to that.

**The memory of this incident still brought tears of laughter to Dudley's eyes.**

"What a horrible whale," stated Remus

Harry just shrugged in reply

**"Marge'll be here for a week," Uncle Vernon snarled, "and while we're on the subject," he pointed a fat finger threateningly at Harry, "we need to get a few things straight before I go and collect her."**

**Dudley smirked and withdrew his gaze from the television. Watching Harry being bullied by Uncle Vernon was Dudley's favorite form of entertainment.**

"Sick," stated Sirius, "He's worse than Malfoy and Bella combined!"

"**Firstly," growled Uncle Vernon, "you'll keep a civil tongue in your head when you're talking to Marge."**

"**All right," said Harry bitterly, "if she does when she's talking to me."**

"Good, don't take it lying down, pup."

"**Secondly," said Uncle Vernon, acting as though he had not heard Harry's reply, "as Marge doesn't know anything about your abnormality, I don't want any — any funny stuff while she's here. You behave yourself, got me?"**

"**I will if she does," said Harry through gritted teeth.**

"Which she won't,"

"**And thirdly," said Uncle Vernon, his mean little eyes now slits in his great purple face, "we've told Marge you attend St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys."**

"What," Sirius exclaimed. "My godson is not a criminal."

"**What?" Harry yelled.**

"Scary," commented Peter

"**And you'll be sticking to that story, boy, or there'll be trouble," spat Uncle Vernon.**

**Harry sat there, white-faced and furious, staring at Uncle Vernon, hardly able to believe it. Aunt Marge coming for a weeklong visit — it was the worst birthday present the Dursleys had ever given him, including that pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks.**

"I would just love to visit these people on a full moon," growled Remus

"**Well, Petunia," said Uncle Vernon, getting heavily to his feet, "I'll be off to the station, then. Want to come along for the ride, Dudders?"**

"**No," said Dudley, whose attention had returned to the television now that Uncle Vernon had finished threatening Harry.**

"Serious issues,"

"God he is worse them me when I was younger," stated Sirius with a shake of his head.

"**Duddy's got to make himself smart for his auntie," said Aunt Petunia, smoothing Dudley's thick blond hair. "Mummy's bought him a lovely new bow-tie."**

"Probably can't be seen under all his chins,"

**Uncle Vernon clapped Dudley on his porky shoulder.**

"**See you in a bit, then," he said, and he left the kitchen.**

**Harry, who had been sitting in a kind of horrified trance, had a sudden idea. Abandoning his toast, he got quickly to his feet and followed Uncle Vernon to the front door.**

"What ya planning?" asked Peter

Harry smirked

**Uncle Vernon was pulling on his car coat.**

"**I'm not taking you," he snarled as he turned to see Harry watching him.**

"Like He wants to come!" snorted Sirius

"**Like I wanted to come," said Harry coldly. "I want to ask you something."**

"Pads, stop doing that." Said James wide-eyed

**Uncle Vernon eyed him suspiciously.**

"**Third years at Hog — at my school are allowed to visit the village sometimes," said Harry.**

"Oh…" smirked Remus

"**So?" snapped Uncle Vernon, taking his car keys from a hook next to the door.**

"**I need you to sign the permission form," said Harry in a rush.**

"I get it!" cried Sirius, "Brilliant, pup!"

**"And why should I do that?" sneered Uncle Vernon.**

"**Well," said Harry, choosing his words carefully, "it'll be hard work, pretending to Aunt Marge I go to that St. Whatsits…"**

"I love you, my little marauder!" said James as he grabbed Harry in a big bear hug which turned into a dog pile when Sirius jumped on them followed by Peter. Remus just laughed.

"**St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys!" bellowed Uncle Vernon, and Harry was pleased to hear a definite note of panic in Uncle Vernon's voice.**

"**Exactly," said Harry, looking calmly up into Uncle Vernon's large, purple face. "It's a lot to remember. I'll have to make it sound convincing, won't I? What if I accidentally let something slip?"**

"**You'll get the stuffing knocked out of you, won't you?" roared Uncle Vernon, advancing on Harry with his fist raised. But Harry stood his ground.**

"Don't TOUCH him, vermin," snarled Sirius now back in his seat after having untangled himself from the pile on the floor.

"Hey!" cried Remus, "Vernon and Vermin, very similar in spelling and pronunciation, heh?"

"I hope he was picked on as a child."

"**Knocking the stuffing out of me won't make Aunt Marge forget what I could tell her," he said grimly.**

**Uncle Vernon stopped, his fist still raised, his face an ugly puce.**

"**But if you sign my permission form," Harry went on quickly, "I swear I'll remember where I'm supposed to go to school, and I'll act like a Mug — like I'm normal and everything."**

James's grin stretched further.

**Harry could tell that Uncle Vernon was thinking it over, even if his teeth were bared and a vein was throbbing in his temple.**

"**Right," he snapped finally. "I shall monitor your behavior carefully during Marge's visit. If, at the end of it, you've toed the line and kept to the story, I'll sign your ruddy form."**

"Better sigh it…"

**He wheeled around, pulled open the front door, and slammed it so hard that one of the little panes of glass at the top fell out.**

"Anger management much."

**Harry didn't return to the kitchen. He went back upstairs to his bedroom. If he was going to act like a real Muggle, he'd better start now. Slowly and sadly he gathered up all his presents and his birthday cards and hid them under the loose floorboard with his homework. Then he went to Hedwig's cage. Errol seemed to have recovered; he and Hedwig were both asleep, heads under their wings. Harry sighed, then poked them both awake.**

"**Hedwig," he said gloomily, "you're going to have to clear off for a week. Go with Errol. Ron'll look after you. I'll write him a note, explaining. And don't look at me like that" — Hedwig's large amber eyes were reproachful — "it's not my fault. It's the only way I'll be allowed to visit Hogsmeade with Ron and Hermione."**

**Ten minutes later, Errol and Hedwig (who had a note to Ron bound to her leg) soared out of the window and out of sight. Harry, now feeling thoroughly miserable, put the empty cage away inside the wardrobe.**

"Don't be, pup, the ends will meet the means."

**But Harry didn't have long to brood. In next to no time, Aunt Petunia was shrieking up the stairs for Harry to come down and get ready to welcome their guest.**

"**Do something about your hair!" Aunt Petunia snapped as he reached the hall.**

"Won't work."

**Harry couldn't see the point of trying to make his hair lie flat. Aunt Marge loved criticizing him, so the untidier he looked, the happier she would be.**

"I hate her even if she breeds dogs." Stated Sirius with a huff

**All too soon, there was a crunch of gravel outside as Uncle Vernon's car pulled back into the driveway, then the clunk of the car doors and footsteps on the garden path.**

"**Get the door!" Aunt Petunia hissed at Harry.**

"The she-demon has arrived."

**A feeling of great gloom in his stomach, Harry pulled the door open.**

**On the threshold stood Aunt Marge. She was very like Uncle Vernon: large, beefy, and purple-faced, she even had a mustache, though not as bushy as his. **

"Let me guess, she's single right."

**In one hand she held an enormous suitcase, and tucked under the other was an old and evil-tempered bulldog.**

"**Where's my Dudders?" roared Aunt Marge. "Where's my neffy poo?"**

"Dudders?" asked Peter, "And I thought my Mum was bad!"

"You mean liked Pweety Baby?" asked James

"Oh shut!" snapped Peter, "My little Jamsie Wamsie."

A round of laughter followed this

**Dudley came waddling down the hall, his blond hair plastered flat to his fat head, a bow tie just visible under his many chins. Aunt Marge thrust the suitcase into Harry's stomach, knocking the wind out of him, seized Dudley in a tight one-armed hug, and planted a large kiss on his cheek.**

**Harry knew perfectly well that Dudley only put up with Aunt Marge's hugs because he was well paid for it, and sure enough, when they broke apart, Dudley had a crisp twenty-pound note clutched in his fat fist.**

"Selfish bugger,"

"**Petunia!" shouted Aunt Marge, striding past Harry as though he was a hat-stand. Aunt Marge and Aunt Petunia kissed, or rather, Aunt Marge bumped her large jaw against Aunt Petunias bony cheekbone.**

**Uncle Vernon now came in, smiling jovially as he shut the door.**

"**Tea, Marge?" he said. "And what will Ripper take?"**

"**Ripper can have some tea out of my saucer," said Aunt Marge **

"That is just unhygienic," nodded Peter

**as they all proceeded into the kitchen, leaving Harry alone in the hall with the suitcase. But Harry wasn't complaining; any excuse not to be with Aunt Marge was fine by him, so he began to heave the case upstairs into the spare bedroom, taking as long as he could.**

"I can't blame you."

**By the time he got back to the kitchen, Aunt Marge had been supplied with tea and fruitcake, and Ripper was lapping noisily in the corner. Harry saw Aunt Petunia wince slightly as specks of tea and drool flecked her clean floor. Aunt Petunia hated animals.**

"Go Ripper!" cheered Sirius, "Give the giraffe a hard time!"

"**Who's looking after the other dogs, Marge?" Uncle Vernon asked.**

"**Oh, I've got Colonel Fubster managing them," boomed Aunt Marge. "He's retired now, good for him to have something to do. But I couldn't leave poor old Ripper. He pines if he's away from me."**

**Ripper began to growl again as Harry sat down. This directed Aunt Marge's attention to Harry for the first time.**

"Bad dog!"

**"So!" she barked. "Still here, are you?"**

"**Yes," said Harry.**

"**Don't you say 'yes' in that ungrateful tone," Aunt Marge growled. "It's damn good of Vernon and Petunia to keep you. Wouldn't have done it myself. You'd have gone straight to an orphanage if you'd been dumped on my doorstep."**

"What he got to be grateful for?" asked Sirius

**Harry was bursting to say that he'd rather live in an orphanage than with the Dursleys, but the thought of the Hogsmeade form stopped him. He forced his face into a painful smile.**

"Like I said, can't blame ya," nodded Peter

"**Don't you smirk at me!" boomed Aunt Marge. "I can see you haven't improved since I last saw you. I hoped school would knock some manners into you." She took a large gulp of tea, wiped her mustache, and said, "Where is it that you send him, again, Vernon?"**

"**St. Brutus's," said Uncle Vernon promptly. "It's a first-rate institution for hopeless cases."**

"No he don't! He goes to the finest magical school in all of Europe."

"**I see," said Aunt Marge. "Do they use the cane at St. Brutus's, boy?" she barked across the table.**

"**Er —"**

**Uncle Vernon nodded curtly behind Aunt Marge's back.**

"**Yes," said Harry. Then, feeling he might as well do the thing properly, he added, "All the time."**

"**Excellent," said Aunt Marge. **

"Sick #%$*!"

**"I won't have this namby-pamby, wishy-washy nonsense about not hitting people who deserve it. A good thrashing is what's needed in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred. Have you been beaten often?"**

"**Oh, yeah," said Harry, "loads of times."**

'She won't like that."

"And you know this how?" asked Harry

"Reminds me of Aunt Gabriella. She always loved a good beating," Sirius's eyes turned from a warm gray to obsidian black.

James sighed and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

**Aunt Marge narrowed her eyes.**

"**I still don't like your tone, boy," she said. "If you can speak of your beatings in that casual way, they clearly aren't hitting you hard enough. Petunia, I'd write if I were you. Make it clear that you approve the use of extreme force in this boy's case."**

"See,"

James smiled sadly at his best mate, "No one disagreed."

**Perhaps Uncle Vernon was worried that Harry might forget their bargain; in any case, he changed the subject abruptly.**

"**Heard the news this morning, Marge? What about that escaped prisoner, eh?"**

"Well, at least I'm useful."

**As Aunt Marge started to make herself at home, Harry caught himself thinking almost longingly of life at number four without her. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia usually encouraged Harry to stay out of their way, which Harry was only too happy to do. Aunt Marge, on the other hand, wanted Harry under her eye at all times, so that she could boom out suggestions for his improvement. She delighted in comparing Harry with Dudley, **

**and took huge pleasure in buying Dudley expensive presents while glaring at Harry, as though daring him to ask why he hadn't got a present too. She also kept throwing out dark hints about what made Harry such an unsatisfactory person.**

"How do you stand her?"

"I don't."

"**You mustn't blame yourself for the way the boy's turned out, Vernon," she said over lunch on the third day. "If there's something rotten on the inside, there's nothing anyone can do about it."**

**Harry tried to concentrate on his food, but his hands shook and his face was starting to burn with anger. Remember the form, he told himself. Think about Hogsmeade. Don't say anything. Don't rise —**

**Aunt Marge reached for her glass of wine.**

"**It's one of the basic rules of breeding," she said. "You see it all the time with dogs. If there's something wrong with the bitch, there'll be something wrong with the pup —"**

"SHE DID NOT JUST SAY THAT," Sirius yelled. She had just called Lily a bitch. She had made his nickname for Harry a bad thing.

"LILY IS NOT..." James shouted at the same time as Sirius but couldn't finish his sentence.

Remus was also beside himself with anger; Lily was one of the nicest people that he ever met and she had the biggest heart too

Peter squeaked in rage, "You're the bitch, you closed minded cow!"

**At that moment, the wineglass Aunt Marge was holding exploded in her hand. Shards of glass flew in every direction and Aunt Marge sputtered and blinked, her great ruddy face dripping.**

"You broke the glass," said James

"I was angry," Harry said.

"Hm…." Remus said.

"**Marge!" squealed Aunt Petunia. "Marge, are you all right?"**

"Unfortunately,"

**"Not to worry," grunted Aunt Marge, mopping her face with her napkin. "Must have squeezed it too hard. Did the same thing at Colonel Fubster's the other day. No need to fuss, Petunia, I have a very firm grip…"**

**But Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon were both looking at Harry suspiciously, so he decided he'd better skip dessert and escape from the table as soon as he could.**

"Smart move, If it had been James he might have stayed to rile her up more."

"Hey!"

**Outside in the hall, he leaned against the wall, breathing deeply. It had been a long time since he'd lost control and made something explode. He couldn't afford to let it happen again. The Hogsmeade form wasn't the only thing at stake — if he carried on like that, he'd be in trouble with the Ministry of Magic.**

"But it was an accident."

**Harry was still an underage wizard, and he was forbidden by wizard law to do magic outside school. His record wasn't exactly clean either. Only last summer he'd gotten an official warning that had stated quite clearly that if the Ministry got wind of any more magic in Privet Drive, Harry would face expulsion from Hogwarts.**

"What'd ya do?" asked Peter

"Second year,"

**He heard the Dursleys leaving the table and hurried upstairs out of the way.**

**Harry got through the next three days by forcing himself to think about his Handbook of Do-It-Yourself Broomcare whenever Aunt Marge started on him. This worked quite well, though it seemed to give him a glazed look, because Aunt Marge started voicing the opinion that he was mentally subnormal.**

"People like the Dursleys should go die in a whole!" snarled James

**At last, at long last, the final evening of Marge's stay arrived.**

"YAY!"

**Aunt Petunia cooked a fancy dinner and Uncle Vernon uncorked several bottles of wine. They got all the way through the soup and the salmon without a single mention of Harry's faults; during the lemon meringue pie, Uncle Vernon bored them a with a long talk about Grunnings, his drill-making company; then Aunt Petunia made coffee and Uncle Vernon brought out a bottle of brandy.**

"She's saving it all up for dessert."

"**Can I tempt you, Marge?"**

**Aunt Marge had already had quite a lot of wine. Her huge face was very red.**

"**Just a small one, then," she chuckled. "A bit more than that… and a bit more… that's the ticket."**

"Bet that wasn't a little."

**Dudley was eating his fourth slice of pie. Aunt Petunia was sipping coffee with her little finger sticking out. Harry really wanted to disappear into his bedroom, but he met Uncle Vernon's angry little eyes and knew he would have to sit it out.**

"Just let him leave."

"Remus, You. Are. Talking. To. A. Book"

"You were doing the same thing before, James!"

"**Aah," said Aunt Marge, smacking her lips and putting the empty brandy glass back down. "Excellent nosh, Petunia. It's normally just a fry-up for me of an evening, with twelve dogs to look after…" She burped richly and patted her great tweed stomach. "Pardon me. But I do like to see a healthy-sized boy," she went on, winking at Dudley. "You'll be a proper-sized man, Dudders, like your father. Yes, I'll have a spot more brandy, Vernon…"**

"Proper size?"

"**Now, this one here —"**

"Leave him alone,"

"Right-O, Pete,"

**She jerked her head at Harry, who felt his stomach clench. The Handbook, he thought quickly.**

"**This one's got a mean, runty look about him. You get that with dogs. I had Colonel Fubster drown one last year. Ratty little thing it was. Weak. Underbred."**

"She did not just say they should drown you…"growled James

"That old hag!" cried James, "I should go wring her neck."

"No can do James," said Remus with false calm, "Your hands wouldn't be able to fit around her neck let alone strangle her."

**Harry was trying to remember page twelve of his book: A Charm to Cure Reluctant Reversers.**

"**It all comes down to blood, as I was saying the other day. Bad blood will out. Now, I'm saying nothing against your family, Petunia" — she patted Aunt Petunia's bony hand with her shovel-like one "but your sister was a bad egg. They turn up in the best families. Then she ran off with a wastrel and here's the result right in front of us."**

"You can insult me all you want, but live Lily alone!" snarled James.

Across the castle, Lily Evens had the sudden urge to hug Potter the next time she saw him.

**Harry was staring at his plate, a funny ringing in his ears. Grasp your broom firmly by the tail, he thought. But he couldn't remember what came next. Aunt Marge's voice seemed to be boring into him like one of Uncle Vernon's drills.**

"**This Potter," said Aunt Marge loudly, seizing the brandy bottle and splashing more into her glass and over the tablecloth, "you never told me what he did?"**

**Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were looking extremely tense. Dudley had even looked up from his pie to gape at his parents.**

"**He — didn't work," said Uncle Vernon, with half a glance at Harry. "Unemployed."**

"LIES," Peter snapped

"I'm going to work in the ministry," cried James, "I swear Harry, I'm nothing…"

"I know," said Harry calmly, "You sacrificed your life so I can live. I know your nothing like what she says you are."

"I swear," cried Sirius, "Muggles like this are the reason so many wizards are prejudice."

"**As I expected!" said Aunt Marge, taking a huge swig of brandy and wiping her chin on her sleeve. "A no-account, good-for-nothing, lazy scrounger who —"**

"Shut up," snarled Sirius and Remus.

"**He was not," said Harry suddenly. The table went very quiet. Harry was shaking all over. He had never felt so angry in his life.**

"**MORE BRANDY!" yelled Uncle Vernon, who had gone very white. He emptied the bottle into Aunt Marge's glass. "You, boy," he snarled at Harry. "Go to bed, go on —"**

"**No, Vernon," hiccupped Aunt Marge, holding up a hand, her tiny bloodshot eyes fixed on Harry's. "Go on, boy, go on. Proud of your parents, are you? They go and get themselves killed in a car crash (drunk, I expect) —"**

"They didn't die in a car crash," snarled Siris

"**They didn't die in a car crash!" said Harry, who found himself on his feet.**

"Sirius stop doing that!"

"**They died in a car crash, you nasty little liar, and left you to be a burden on their decent, hardworking relatives!" screamed Aunt Marge, swelling with fury. "You are an insolent, ungrateful little —"**

"That bitch needs to shut it or God so help me…" Sirius trailed off shaking with anger.

**But Aunt Marge suddenly stopped speaking. For a moment, it looked as though words had failed her. She seemed to be swelling with inexpressible anger — but the swelling didn't stop. **

"What?" uncertainly asked Peter

**Her great red face started to expand, her tiny eyes bulged, and her mouth stretched too tightly for speech — next second, several buttons had just burst from her tweed jacket and pinged off the walls — she was inflating like a monstrous balloon, her stomach bursting free of her tweed waistband, each of her fingers blowing up like a salami…**

"Good one, pup," Sirius said laughing.

"**MARGE!" yelled Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia together as Aunt Marge's whole body began to rise off her chair toward the ceiling. She was entirely round, now, like a vast life buoy with piggy eyes, and her hands and feet stuck out weirdly as she drifted up into the air, making apoplectic popping noises. Ripper came skidding into the room, barking madly.**

"Brilliant, that is bloody brilliant,' gasped Sirius as everyone burst into laughter from the imagery. Finally when Remus was able to catch his breath.

"**NOOOOOOO!"**

**Uncle Vernon seized one of Marge's feet and tried to pull her down again, but was almost lifted from the floor himself. A second later, Ripper leapt forward and sank his teeth into Uncle Vernon's leg.**

"Good dog," Sirius smiled viciously.

**Harry tore from the dining room before anyone could stop him, heading for the cupboard under the stairs. The cupboard door burst magically open as he reached it. In seconds, he had heaved his trunk to the front door. He sprinted upstairs and threw himself under the bed, wrenching up the loose floorboard, and grabbed the pillowcase full of his books and birthday presents. He wriggled out, seized Hedwig's empty cage, and dashed back downstairs to his trunk, just as Uncle Vernon burst out of the dining room, his trouser leg in bloody tatters.**

"Are you running away?" asked Sirius suddenly very serious (couldn't help it LOL)

"**COME BACK IN HERE!" he bellowed. "COME BACK AND PUT HER RIGHT!"**

"How about NO," shouted Peter

**But a reckless rage had come over Harry. He kicked his trunk open, pulled out his wand, and pointed it at Uncle Vernon.**

"Curse HIM!" screamed Sirius with a cruel smile

"They deserve it," James nodded darkly.

"**She deserved it," Harry said, breathing very fast. "She deserved what she got. You keep away from me."**

**He fumbled behind him for the latch on the door.**

"**I'm going," Harry said. "I've had enough."**

**And in the next moment, he was out in the dark, quiet street, heaving his heavy trunk behind him, Hedwig's cage under his arm.**

"I know you had to get away, but who's going to help you know?" asked Remus the ever-calm one.

"You'll see," said Harry, "So who's reading next?"

"Not so fast, pup," stated Sirius, "First two years."

"But Siri…" pouted Harry

"Not going to work so start talking." Stated Sirius careful not to catch his godson's eye.

"Fine, so my first year started on my eleventh birthday…."

* * *

**Author Note: **

**Okay so reworking the first few chapters is a lot easier than I thought, but that's because this is basic commentary at this point.**

**I hope you liked it. I tried to make Peter talk more so he doesn't fade into the background. (I can't help it. I know he has to be there, but I really hate him!)**

**Lots of Hugs**

**HM**


	5. The Knight Bus

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Reading the Future with the Marauders**

**Chapter: The Knight Bus**

* * *

The occupants of the room where speechless. Remus was staring at Harry with wide-eyed; James was gapping like a fish and Sirius looked like he was trying to suppress a panic attack.

"Ummm," asked Harry

Sirius growled, "I'm going to go kill Dumbledore. How dare he…" He got up and made his way to the door, but was tackled by Peter.

"Sirius," cried Peter as he wrestled the stronger boy down to the ground. He could feel his anger role of him in waves. Was this the same rage that had possessed Sirius to tell Snivellous everything? It probably was as he looked into foreign black eyes that had switched places with his friend's usual warm gray. Suddenly he felt Remus and James kneel down beside him and grab Sirius, helping him hold him down. Slowly Sirius starts to calm down and breathe easier. His eyes turned from a black to a steel color.

"Sirius?" asked James as he looked into his best friends eyes.

"I'm okay," he said after a pause, "You can get off me know Pete,"

Peter nodded and got off him, but stayed within wrestling distance.

James felt slightly wounded, here was Sirius who didn't even know if Harry was his godson or not (probably was, but that's not the point) and was ready to take down one of the strongest wizards in History next to Merlin himself, while James had felt worried and angry as well, but not as much as compare to Sirius's. Does that mean that Sirius cared for his son more than him? Does that mean he's a bad father, before his son was even born?

Remus was looking as James and Sirius; he wondered how James was taking Sirius's reaction. God forbid he starts feeling inferior or jealous. Remus was also curious to what brought out such a strong reaction, after all Harry was standing in front of them perfectly healthy. It made no sense to go killing Dumbledore.

Sirius sat down next to Harry and slung his arm around Harry's shoulder. He pulled the petite boy closer. He didn't know what it was, why he felt this need to protect this boy. Why he had to know he was safe, why he wanted to hurt everyone who bought this boy to harm. His thoughts whirled around in circles as he tried to suppress his anger.

Harry didn't bother pulling away, not this time, instead leaned against his godfather. Harry couldn't remember a time when he had felt so safe, when someone had cared so much about his safety. He snuggled closer to his godfather and drifted into a state of half-consciousness. A small smile graced his lips; he had missed Sirius so much.

No one said anything;

James glared at his hands. Harry probably thought he was an inferior father compared to Sirius who had always had a natural aptitude for children. James couldn't help but feel that green monster roar it's head as he watched his best friend hug his son. It wasn't FAIR!

Remus watched the two with a soft smile and handed the book to Peter.

Peter accepted it and opened the book to the right page. He cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. He noticed that Harry seemed to have fallen asleep, but he did have Sirius's attention so he read:

**"The Knight Bus**,"

"Oh you'll be fine then," smiled Peter

**Harry was several streets away before he collapsed onto a low wall in Magnolia Crescent, panting from the effort of dragging his trunk. He sat quite still, anger still surging through him, listening to the frantic thumping of his heart.**

**But after ten minutes alone in the dark street, a new emotion overtook him: panic. Whichever way he looked at it, he had never been in a worse fix. **

"True that," chuckled Remus trying to get the room to lighten up.

His attempt was rewarded by a chuckle from Sirius who still had his hand around a much more awake Harry.

**He was stranded, quite alone, in the dark Muggle world, with absolutely nowhere to go. And the worst of it was, he had just done serious magic,**

"Yup, you're screwed," smiled James. There was nothing to be jealous of, he tried to convince himself, Sirius has practice taking care of Regulas and they both suffered from similar childhoods (something James loathed to admit) so they probably shared an understanding that he and Harry did not have, YET.

**Which meant that he was almost certainly expelled from Hogwarts. He had broken the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry so badly, he was surprised Ministry of Magic representatives weren't swooping down on him where he sat.**

"That's good," stated Remus, "It means they're letting you off."

**Harry shivered and looked up and down Magnolia Crescent.**

**What, was going to happen to him? Would he be arrested, or would he simply be outlawed from the wizarding world? He thought of Ron and Hermione, and his heart sank even lower. Harry was sure that, criminal or not, Ron and Hermione would want to help him now,**

"Harry, you're a drama queen," stated Peter with a quick nod and started to read before Harry could defend himself.

**But they were both abroad, and with Hedwig gone, he had no means of contacting them.**

**He didn't have any Muggle money, either. There was a little wizard gold in the money bag at the bottom of his trunk, but the rest of the fortune his parents had left him was stored in a vault at Gringotts Wizarding Bank in London. He'd never be able to drag his trunk all the way to London. Unless…**

"If you're anything like Prongs, don't do what you're planning on doing," cried Remus

"I take offence to that," snapped James with a huff trying to conceal his smile (and failing).

"Good,"

**He looked down at his wand, which he was still clutching in his hand. If he was already expelled (his heart was now thumping painfully fast), a bit more magic couldn't hurt. He had the Invisibility Cloak he had inherited from his father — what if he bewitched the trunk to make it feather-light, tied it to his broomstick, covered himself in the cloak, and flew to London? **

"Did you learn nothing from the flying car?" asked Remus

"This isn't the same thing," Harry defended

"Yeah it is, son."

"Shut it Dad."

James's heart swelled when he heard Harry call him Dad. Maybe he wasn't such a bad father…

**Then he could get the rest of his money out of his vault and… begin his life as an outcast. **

"I am not a Drama Queen," said Harry pointing a finger at Peter, "I am a Drama KING!"

**It was a horrible prospect, but he couldn't sit on this wall forever, or he'd find himself trying to explain to Muggle police why he was out in the dead of night with a trunk full of spell books and a broomstick.**

Remus cocked his head to the left, "That would be … interesting."

**Harry opened his trunk again and pushed the contents aside, looking for the Invisibility Cloak — but before he had found it, he straightened up suddenly, looking around him once more.**

"What!"

**A funny prickling on the back of his neck had made Harry feel he was being watched, but the street appeared to be deserted, and no lights shone from any of the large square houses.**

"This can't be good." Mumbled James

"Do you think it's me?" asked Sirius.

"I hope not," said Remus

"Why!" cried James, "It's not like he really killed those people."

"He can't still be sane after 12 years in Azkaban!" snapped Remus in his defense, "Imagine what he might do when he is off his rocker if the last few minutes weren't anything to go by!"

Peter quickly started to read before a full-blown argument took place.

**He bent over his trunk again, but almost immediately stood up once more, his hand clenched on his wand. He had sensed rather than heard it: **

"That's pretty impressive," said Peter

**Someone or something was standing in the narrow gap between the garage and the fence behind him. Harry squinted at the black alleyway. If only it would move, then he'd know whether it was just a stray cat or — something else.**

"Please let it be a cat," Sirius mumbled pulling Harry even closer towards him.

Harry shook his head, "Sirius I'm fine."

"**Lumos," Harry muttered, and a light appeared at the end of his wand, almost dazzling him. He held it high over his head, and the pebble-dashed walls of number two suddenly sparkled; the garage door gleamed, and between them Harry saw, quite distinctly, the hulking outline of something very big, with wide, gleaming eyes.**

"Not a cat, not a cat," cried James, "Run, idiot!"

"Hey!"

"Well you are, admit it Harry," joked Remus

Harry just pouted

**Harry stepped backward. His legs hit his trunk and he tripped. His wand flew out of his hand as he flung out an arm to break his fall, and he landed, hard, in the gutter.**

**There was a deafening BANG, and Harry threw up his hands to shield his eyes against a sudden blinding light…**

**With a yell, he rolled back onto the pavement, just in time. A second later, a gigantic pair of wheels and headlights screeched to a halt exactly where Harry had just been lying. **

"That's how you flagged down the Knights Bus," Remus laughed.

"Shut up."

**They belonged, as Harry saw when he raised his head, to a triple-decker, violently purple bus, which had appeared out of thin air. Gold lettering over the windshield spelled The Knight Bus.**

"Yay," shouted Sirius finally letting go of Harry and doing a little happy dance before sitting down next to James, "You're safe!"

**For a split second, Harry wondered if he had been knocked silly by his fall. Then a conductor in a purple uniform leapt out of the bus and began to speak loudly to the night.**

"**Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard just stick out your wand hand, step on board, and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this eve—"**

**The conductor stopped abruptly. He had just caught sight of Harry, who was still sitting on the ground. Harry snatched up his wand again and scrambled to his feet. Close up, he saw that Stan Shunpike was only a few years older than he was, eighteen or nineteen at most, with large, protruding ears and quite a few pimples.**

"Not the best looking kid around," noted Sirius

"Not all of us are vain like you," sighed Remus

"**What were you doin' down there?" said Stan, dropping his professional manner.**

"**Fell over," said Harry.**

"'**Choo fall over for?" sniggered Stan.**

"Because he thought it would be a laugh."

"**I didn't do it on purpose," said Harry, annoyed. One of the knees in his jeans was torn, and the hand he had thrown out to break his fall was bleeding. He suddenly remembered why he had fallen over and turned around quickly to stare at the alleyway between the garage and fence. The Knight Bus's headlamps were flooding it with light, and it was empty.**

"Why try and grab the evil thing's attention," asked Sirius, "are you insane?"

Harry hide his smile in his hands. _That evil thing is you, silly Sirius, _thought Harry

"'**Choo lookin' at?" said Stan.**

"**There was a big black thing," said Harry, pointing uncertainly into the gap. "Like a dog… but massive…"**

"A dog," all of the marauder said and looked at Sirius.

Sirius shook his head, No it couldn't really have been him.

**He looked around at Stan, whose mouth was slightly open. With a feeling of unease, Harry saw Stan's eyes move to the scar on Harry's forehead.**

"**Woss that on your 'ead?" said Stan abruptly.**

"A bug," stated Peter seriously.

"Harry didn't really say that did he?" asked James

"One can never know with your genes," shrugged Peter and continued reading.

It took James a few seconds to register the insult, "HEY!"

Sirius, Harry, and Remus tried to hide their laughter… and failed.

"**Nothing," said Harry quickly, flattening his hair over his scar. If the Ministry of Magic was looking for him, he didn't want to make it too easy for them.**

"**Woss your name?" Stan persisted.**

"**Neville Longbottom," said Harry, **

"You know Frank's kid," asked James

"Yeah, he's in my year." Nodded Harry

**saying the first name that came into his head. "So — so this bus," he went on quickly, hoping to distract Stan, "did you say it goes anywhere?"**

"**Yep," said Stan proudly, "anywhere you like, 'long it's on land. Can't do nuffink underwater.**

"I tried, but they said no." pouted Sirius

"**Ere," he said, looking suspicious again, "you did flag us down, dincha? Stuck out your wand 'and, dincha?"**

"**Yes," said Harry quickly. "Listen, how much would it be to get to London?"**

"**Eleven Sickles," said Stan, "but for fifteen you get 'ot chocolate, and for fifteen you get an 'ot-water bottle an' a toofbrush in the color of your choice."**

"Save your money," mothered Remus.

Harry just rolled his eyes

**Harry rummaged once more in his trunk, extracted his money bag, and shoved some gold into Stan's hand. He and Stan then lifted his trunk, with Hedwig's cage balanced on top, up the steps of the bus.**

**There were no seats; instead, half a dozen brass bedsteads stood beside the curtained windows. Candles were burning in brackets beside each bed, illuminating the wood-paneled walls. A tiny wizard in a nightcap at the rear of the bus muttered, "Not now, thanks, I'm pickling some slugs" and rolled over in his sleep.**

"That's… odd,"

"**You 'ave this one," Stan whispered, shoving Harry's trunk under the bed right behind the driver, who was sitting in an armchair in front of the steering wheel. "This is our driver, Ernie Prang. This is Neville Longbottom, Ern."**

"Kid has horrible grammar," Remus shook his head in distaste

"Not all of us are Grammar Nazis, love," said Sirius

**Ernie Prang, an elderly wizard wearing very thick glasses, nodded to Harry, who nervously flattened his bangs again and sat down on his bed.**

"That isn't noticeable at all,"

"Shut it, Remmy!"

"What am I now Uncle Remmy?" joked Remus

"Of course not," scoffed Harry, "Your Uncle Moo."

James and Sirius laughed at Remus's face, "What?"

"That's what I called you when I was younger,"

"Don't mean I have to like it," pouted Remus and then he said softer, "Ruining my image and destroying my ego. Like I don't get enough from the two monkeys…"

"Did you say something, Moons?" asked Sirius

"No,"

"Whatever Uncle Moo!"

"Shut Up Sirius!"

"**Take'er away, Ern," said Stan, sitting down in the armchair next to Ernie's**

**There was another tremendous BANG, and the next moment Harry found himself flat on his bed, thrown backward by the speed of the Knight Bus. Pulling himself up, Harry stared out of the dark window and saw that they were now bowling along a completely different street. Stan was watching Harry's stunned face with great enjoyment.**

"It is probably a regular thing," said Remus

"**This is where we was before you flagged us down," he said. "Where are we, Ern? Somewhere in Wales?"**

"**Ar," said Ernie.**

"Does that me yes?" asked James

"I think so," replied Peter

"Why does he keep talking like a pirate?" asked Sirius

No one bothered to answer him.

"**How come the Muggles don't hear the bus?" said Harry.**

"**Them!" said Stan contemptuously. "Don' listen properly, do they? Don' look properly either. Never notice nuffink, they don'."**

"That's rude," protested James

"**Best go wake up Madam Marsh, Stan," said Ern. "We'll be in Abergavenny in a minute."**

**Stan passed Harry's bed and disappeared up a narrow wooden staircase. Harry was still looking out of the window, feeling increasingly nervous. Ernie didn't seem to have mastered the use of a steering wheel. The Knight Bus kept mounting the pavement, but it didn't hit anything; lines of lampposts, mailboxes, and trash cans jumped out of its way as it approached and back into position once it had passed.**

"Cause that is sooo not noticeable," said James.

Harry sighed, "Can we go more than 3 paragraphs before you interrupt again?"

**Stan came back downstairs, followed by a faintly green witch wrapped in a traveling cloak.**

"'**Ere you go, Madam Marsh," said Stan happily as Ern stamped on the brake and the beds slid a foot or so toward the front of the bus. Madam Marsh clamped a handkerchief to her mouth and tottered down the steps. Stan threw her bag out after her and rammed the doors shut; there was another loud BANG, and they were thundering down a narrow country lane, trees leaping out of the way.**

"That is even weirder," stated Remus with a shake of his head.

Harry glared and Remus smirked, "You only yelled at James."

**Harry wouldn't have been able to sleep even if he had been traveling on a bus that didn't keep banging loudly and jumping a hundred miles at a time. His stomach churned as he fell back to wondering what was going to happen to him, and whether the Dursleys had managed to get Aunt Marge off the ceiling yet.**

"Let's hope not," grumbled Sirius

**Stan had unfurled a copy of the Daily Prophet and was now reading with his tongue between his teeth. A large photograph of a sunken-faced man with long, matted hair blinked slowly at Harry from the front page. He looked strangely familiar.**

"**That man!" Harry said, forgetting his troubles for a moment. "He was on the Muggle news!"**

"Here I am!" shouted Sirius with a fake cheerfulness.

'It's all right, Pads," smiled Peter, "We'll find the person who framed you and you'll never go to prison."

"_The irony," _thought Harry

**Stanley turned to the front page and chuckled.**

"**Sirius Black," he said, nodding. "'Course 'e was on the Muggle news, Neville. Where you been?"**

"Can't we go a chapter without some Sirius bashing," Sirius said sagging his shoulders.

"Sirius if you want… we can skip over it," said Remus

Sirius shook his head, "No, it's important. Read on, Pete."

**He gave a superior sort of chuckle at the blank look on Harry's face, removed the front page, and handed it to Harry.**

"**You oughta read the papers more, Neville."**

**Harry held the paper up to the candlelight and read:**

**BLACK STILL AT LARGE**

**Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, **

Sirius sighed

"You know that paper usually exaggerate," James said.

**is still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today. "We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, "and we beg the magical community to remain calm."**

**Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis.**

"**Well, really, I had to, don't you know," said an irritable Fudge. "Black is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it — who'd believe him if he did?"**

**While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse.**

"You DIDN'T do it!," yelled James when he saw Sirius's face, "You were framed."

"Oh I don't know..." Sirius said darkly. "If I was mad enough..." he said then looked at James who was shaking his head.

Remus paled at the reference to that night and Peter looked down, but James just glared defiantly at Sirius.

"Stop being stupid Sirius," James said angrily. "I don't care how mad you were you would never do that."

After a moment of silence Peter decided to keep reading.

**Harry looked into the shadowed eyes of Sirius Black, the only part of the sunken face that seemed alive. Harry had never met a vampire, but he had seen pictures of them in his Defense Against the Dark Arts classes, and Black, with his waxy white skin, looked just like one.**

Sirius touched his face as if to reassure himself that his face was still pretty.

"**Scary-lookin' fing, inee?" said Stan, who had been watching Harry read.**

"**He murdered thirteen people?" said Harry, handing the page back to Stan, "with one curse?"**

"**Yep," said Stan, "in front of witnesses an' all. Broad daylight. Big trouble it caused, dinnit, Ern?"**

"**Ar," said Ern darkly.**

**Stan swiveled in his armchair, his hands on the back, the better to look at Harry.**

"**Black woz a big supporter of You-Know-'Oo," he said.**

Sirius growled softly.

"**What, Voldemort?" said Harry, without thinking.**

"You're no good acting like other wizards," sighed Remus

"Stop picking on me already," wined Harry

Remus just smirked

**Even Stan's pimples went white; Ern jerked the steering wheel so hard that a whole farmhouse had to jump aside to avoid the bus.**

"**You outta your tree?" yelped Stan. "'Choo say 'is name for?"**

"**Sorry," said Harry hastily. "Sorry, I — I forgot —"**

"**Forgot!" said Stan weakly. "Blimey, my 'eart's goin' that fast…"**

"**So — so Black was a supporter of You-Know-Who?" Harry prompted apologetically.**

"THERE IS NO WAY I'D EVER SUPPORT THAT BASTARD, " Sirius yelled.

"I can't believe that anyone would believe that crap," James said beside himself.

"Sirius is the biggest blood traitor in the history of the Blacks," Peter snapped.

"One would think Dumbledore would see how stupid all this is," sighed Remus

Harry wondered, _Dumbledore knew Sirius so well… and I know Dumbledore didn't about the switch, but why didn't he try and get him a trial?_

"**Yeah," said Stan, still rubbing his chest. "Yeah, that's right. Very close to You-Know-'Oo, they say… anyway, when little 'Arry Potter got the better of You-Know-'Oo" — Harry nervously flattened his bangs down again — "all You-Know-'Oo's supporters was tracked down, wasn't they, Ern? Most of 'em knew it was all over, wiv You-Know-'Oo gone, and they came quiet. But not Sirius Black. I 'eard he thought 'e'd be second-in-command once You-Know-'Oo 'ad taken over.**

"That's a load of bull," snapped Remus

"**Anyway, they cornered Black in the middle of a street full of Muggles an' Black took out 'is wand and 'e blasted 'alf the street apart, an' a wizard got it, an' so did a dozen Muggles what got in the way. **

'**Orrible, eh? An' you know what Black did then?" Stan continued in a dramatic whisper.**

"**What?" said Harry.**

"**Laughed," said Stan. "Jus' stood there an' laughed. An' when reinforcements from the Ministry of Magic got there, 'e went wiv em quiet as anyfink, still laughing 'is 'ead off. 'Cos 'e's mad, inee, Ern? Inee mad?"**

Sirius really paled at this, he only laughs like that in situations when he did something so extremely terrible (or when he sufficed a terrible lost).

James just stared at Sirius with a sadly, what had he lost to drive him so far into insanity.

"Pads…"

"When was this Harry?" asked Sirius

"The night after my parents died," said Harry softly.

"I laughed because I had been hurting so much," said Sirius, "I laughed because I'd lost my family all over again…"

James hugged him, "This won't happen…EVER!"

"**If he weren't when he went to Azkaban, he will be now," said Ern in his slow voice. "I'd blow meself up before I set foot in that place. Serves him right, mind you… after what he did…"**

"**They 'ad a job coverin' it up, din' they, Ern?" Stan said. "'Ole street blown up an' all them Muggles dead. What was it they said 'ad 'appened, Ern?"**

"**Gas explosion," grunted Ernie.**

"Muggles, they'll believe anything," sighed Peter

Harry glared at Peter. It seems he was a coward and a racist pig.

"**An' now 'e's out," said Stan, examining the newspaper picture of Black's gaunt face again. "Never been a breakout from Azkaban before, 'as there, Ern? **

**Beats me 'ow 'e did it. Frightenin', eh? Mind, I don't fancy 'is chances against them Azkaban guards, eh, Ern?"**

"I wonder how you did it?' said Remus

"Well not with magic obviously," said Sirius, "I probably picked the lock when I found something thin and pointy enough."

**Ernie suddenly shivered. "Talk about summat else, Stan, there's a good lad. Them Azkaban guards give me the collywobbles."**

**Stan put the paper away reluctantly, and Harry leaned against the window of the Knight Bus, feeling worse than ever. He couldn't help imagining what Stan might be telling his passengers in a few nights' time.**

"'**Ear about that 'Arry Potter? Blew up 'is aunt! We 'ad 'im 'ere on the Knight Bus, di'n't we, Ern? 'E was tryin' to run for it…"**

**He, Harry, had broken wizard law just like Sirius Black. **

"Cause it is totally the same thing right?"

**Was inflating Aunt Marge bad enough to land him in Azkaban? **

"Jesus NO!" cried Remus with a laugh

**Harry didn't know anything about the wizard prison, though everyone he'd ever heard speak of it did so in the same fearful tone. Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper, had spent two months there only last year. Harry wouldn't soon forget the look of terror on Hagrid's face when he had been told where he was going, and Hagrid was one of the bravest people Harry knew.**

"Poor Hagrid," sighed James

**The Knight Bus rolled through the darkness, scattering bushes and wastebaskets, telephone booths and trees, and Harry lay, restless and miserable, on his feather bed. After a while, Stan remembered that Harry had paid for hot chocolate, but poured it all over Harry's pillow when the bus moved abruptly from Anglesea to Aberdeen. One by one, wizards and witches in dressing gowns and slippers descended from the upper floors to leave the bus. They all looked very pleased to go.**

"I wouldn't blame them."

**Finally, Harry was the only passenger left.**

"**Right then, Neville," said Stan, clapping his hands, "whereabouts in London?"**

"**Diagon Alley," said Harry.**

"That's silly," said Sirius, "If you're on the run, don't go to a heavily populated area."

"**Righto," said Stan. "'Old tight, then."**

**BANG.**

**They were thundering along Charing Cross Road. Harry sat up and watched buildings and benches squeezing themselves out of the Knight Bus's way. The sky was getting a little lighter. He would lie low for a couple of hours, go to Gringotts the moment it opened, then set off — where, he didn't know.**

"Go to the burrow and hang there for a while or get Hedwig." Stated James

**Ern slammed on the brakes and the Knight Bus skidded to a halt in front of a small and shabby-looking pub, the Leaky Cauldron, behind which lay the magical entrance to Diagon Alley.**

"**Thanks," Harry said to Ern.**

**He jumped down the steps and helped Stan lower his trunk and Hedwig's cage onto the pavement.**

"**Well," said Harry. "Bye then!"**

**But Stan wasn't paying attention. Still standing in the doorway to the bus he was goggling at the shadowy entrance to the Leaky Cauldron.**

"Who is it?" asked Sirius

"**There you are, Harry," said a voice.**

**Before Harry could turn, he felt a hand on his shoulder. At the same time, Stan shouted, "Blimey! Ern, come 'ere! Come 'ere!"**

**Harry looked up at the owner of the hand on his shoulder and felt a bucketful of ice cascade into his stomach — he had walked right into Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic himself.**

"Oh crap," James said, since he knew that Sirius wasn't in the mood to do it.

"What is he doing here," Remus said confused. James, Peter and Remus had a silent agreement that they will try their hardest to keep up their normal behavior; they thought it was the best way to help Sirius out.

**Stan leapt onto the pavement beside them.**

"**What did ja call Neville, Minister?" he said excitedly.**

**Fudge, a portly little man in a long, pinstriped cloak, looked cold and exhausted.**

"**Neville?" he repeated, frowning. "This is Harry Potter."**

"**I knew it!" Stan shouted gleefully. **

"Yeah right," Peter scuffed.

"**Ern! Ern! Guess 'oo Neville is, Ern! 'E's 'Arry Potter! I can see 'is scar!"**

"**Yes," said Fudge testily, "well, I'm very glad the Knight Bus picked Harry up, but he and I need to step inside the Leaky Cauldron now…"**

**Fudge increased the pressure on Harry's shoulder, and Harry found himself being steered inside the pub. **

**A stooping figure bearing a lantern appeared through the door behind the bar. It was Tom, the wizened, toothless landlord.**

"Nice fella," smiled Remus, "Doesn't care if he has a dark creature under his roof."

"**You've got him, Minister!" said Tom. "Will you be wanting anything? Beer? Brandy?"**

"**Perhaps a pot of tea," said Fudge, who still hadn't let go of Harry.**

"Is he afraid you're going to run for it?" asked Remus

**There was a loud scraping and puffing from behind them, and Stan and Ern appeared, carrying Harry's trunk and Hedwig's cage and looking around excitedly.**

"'**Ow come you di'n't tell us 'oo you are, eh, Neville?" said Stan, beaming at Harry, while Ernie's owlish face peered interestedly over Stan's shoulder.**

"Stop calling him that," laughed James

"**And a private parlor, please, Tom," said Fudge pointedly.**

**"Bye," Harry said miserably to Stan and Ern as Tom beckoned Fudge toward the passage that led from the bar.**

"**Bye, Neville!" called Stan.**

"He is still calling you Neville?" asked Remus

Sirius just laughed

**Fudge marched Harry along the narrow passage after Tom's lantern, and then into a small parlor. Tom clicked his fingers, a fire burst into life in the grate, and he bowed himself out of the room.**

"**Sit down, Harry," said Fudge, indicating a chair by the fire.**

**Harry sat down, feeling goose bumps rising up his arms despite the glow of the fire. Fudge took off his pinstriped cloak and tossed it aside, then hitched up the trousers of his bottle-green suit and sat down opposite Harry.**

"**I am Cornelius Fudge, Harry. The Minister of Magic."**

"We figured," snickered Remus with an eye roll

**Harry already knew this, of course; he had seen Fudge once before, but as he had been wearing his father's Invisibility Cloak at the time, Fudge wasn't to know that.**

**Tom the innkeeper reappeared, wearing an apron over his nightshirt and bearing a tray of tea and crumpets. He placed the tray on a table between Fudge and Harry and left the parlor, closing the door behind him.**

"**Well, Harry," said Fudge, pouring out tea, "you've had us all in a right flap, I don't mind telling you. Running away from your aunt and uncle's house like that! I'd started to think… but you're safe, and that's what matters."**

Sirius started to laugh, sounding almost mad, "They think I'm after Harry."

"They're so stupid," James said bitterly, it was beyond crazy to ever think that Sirius would hurt his son.

**Fudge buttered himself a crumpet and pushed the plate toward Harry.**

"**Eat, Harry, you look dead on your feet. Now then… You will be pleased to hear that we have dealt with the unfortunate blowing-up of Miss Marjorie Dursley. Two members of the Accidental Magic Reversal Department were dispatched to Privet Drive a few hours ago. Miss Dursley has been punctured and her memory has been modified. She has no recollection of the incident at all. So that's that, and no harm done."**

"Pity."

**Fudge smiled at Harry over the rim of his teacup, rather like an uncle surveying a favorite nephew. Harry, who couldn't believe his ears, opened his mouth to speak, couldn't think of anything to say, and closed it again.**

"**Ah, you're worrying about the reaction of your aunt and uncle?" said Fudge. "Well, I won't deny that they are extremely angry, Harry, but they are prepared to take you back next summer as long as you stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays."**

**Harry unstuck his throat.**

"**I always stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays," he said, "and I don't ever want to go back to Privet Drive."**

"**Now, now, I'm sure you'll feel differently once you've calmed down," said Fudge in a worried tone. "They are your family, after all, and I'm sure you are fond of each other — er — very deep down."**

"I don't think so," James said.

**It didn't occur to Harry to put Fudge right. He was still waiting to hear what was going to happen to him now.**

"**So all that remains," said Fudge, now buttering himself a second crumpet, "is to decide where you're going to spend the last two weeks of your vacation. I suggest you take a room here at the Leaky Cauldron and…"**

"**Hang on," blurted Harry. "What about my punishment?"**

"You're asking for punishment," Sirius said so shocked that it snapped him out of his depressing mood.

"Well... I..." Harry stuttered looking at his dad for help.

"Don't look at me son, you're out of your mind here," James said

"I was expecting to get punished... it didn't make sense," Harry said after he was done glaring at James.

**Fudge blinked. "Punishment?"**

**"I broke the law!" Harry said. "The Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry!"**

"Shut up, pup, do you want him to change his mind."

"**Oh, my dear boy, we're not going to punish you for a little thing like that!" cried Fudge, waving his crumpet impatiently. "It was an accident! We don't send people to Azkaban just for blowing up their aunts!"**

**But this didn't tally at all with Harry's past dealings with the Ministry of Magic.**

"**Last year, I got an official warning just because a house-elf smashed a pudding in my uncle's house!" he told Fudge, frowning. "The Ministry of Magic said I'd be expelled from Hogwarts if there was any more magic there!"**

'Why do you want to be punished?" shrieked James

"I don't, I was just confused." Defended Harry

"Like that's new," pointed out Sirius before dodging a pillow.

**Unless Harry's eyes were deceiving him, Fudge was suddenly looking awkward.**

"Better be," hissed James with a smug look

"**Circumstances change, Harry… We have to take into account… in the present climate… Surely you don't want to be expelled?"**

"I don't want to kill Harry, god damn it," cried Sirius

**"Of course I don't," said Harry.**

"**Well then, what's all the fuss about?" laughed Fudge. "Now, have a crumpet, Harry, while I go and see if Tom's got a room for you."**

**Fudge strode out of the parlor and Harry stared after him. There was something extremely odd going on. Why had Fudge been waiting for him at the Leaky Cauldron, if not to punish him for what he'd done? And now Harry came to think of it, surely it wasn't usual for the Minister of Magic himself to get involved in matters of underage magic?**

"No not really," said James, "He was just checking to make sure you were still alive."

That and you're the BWL," said Remus

"BWL?"

"Boy-Who-Lived," answered Remus

"ahh…"

**Fudge came back, accompanied by Tom the innkeeper.**

"**Room eleven's free, Harry," said Fudge. "I think you'll be very comfortable just one thing, and I'm sure you'll understand… I don't want you wandering off into Muggle London, all right? Keep to Diagon Alley. And you're to be back here before dark each night. Sure you'll understand. Tom will be keeping an eye on you for me."**

"**Okay," said Harry slowly, "but why?"**

"**Don't want to lose you again, do we?" said Fudge with a hearty laugh. "No, no… best we know where you are… I mean…"**

"He isn't going to tell you," said James, "If a child is in danger then tell them what it is."

Sirius nodded, "Ignorance is bliss, but knowledge is power and in a war you always need the upper hand. It was the one good thing my parents taught me."

**Fudge cleared his throat loudly and picked up his pinstriped cloak.**

"**Well, I'll be off, plenty to do, you know…"**

"**Have you had any luck with Black yet?" Harry asked.**

"Thank you for bringing me up," pouted Sirius

"Sorry paddy," cooed Harry

**Fudge's finger slipped on the silver fastenings of his cloak.**

"**What's that? Oh, you've heard - well, no, not yet, but it's only a matter of time. The Azkaban guards have never yet failed… and they are angrier than I've ever seen them."**

**Fudge shuddered slightly.**

"If fear had a shape, it would be a dementor,' said Remus

"**So, I'll say good-bye."**

**He held out his hand and Harry, shaking it, had a sudden idea.**

"**Er — Minister? Can I ask you something?"**

"Not going to work, pup," said Sirius already knowing what Harry was going to ask."

"**Certainly," said Fudge with a smile.**

"**Well, third years at Hogwarts are allowed to visit Hogsmeade, but my aunt and uncle didn't sign the permission form. D'you think you could —?"**

**Fudge was looking uncomfortable.**

"**Ah," he said. "No, no, I'm very sorry, Harry, but as I'm not your parent or guardian —"**

"Told you," said Sirius

"And no one argued, pads," said James

**"But you're the Minister of Magic," said Harry eagerly. "If you gave me permission…"**

"**No, I'm sorry, Harry, but rules are rules," said Fudge flatly.**

"**Perhaps you'll be able to visit Hogsmeade next year. In fact, I think it's best if you don't… yes… well, I'll be off. Enjoy your stay, Harry."**

"God just tell him," sighed James

**And with a last smile and shake of Harry's hand, Fudge left the room. Tom now moved forward, beaming at Harry.**

"**If you'll follow me, Mr. Potter," he said, "I've already taken your things up…"**

**Harry followed Tom up a handsome wooden staircase to a door with a brass number eleven on it, which Tom unlocked and opened for him.**

**Inside was a very comfortable-looking bed, some highly polished oak furniture, a cheerfully crackling fire and, perched on top of the wardrobe —**

**"Hedwig!" Harry gasped.**

"How did she know you were there?" Peter said.

"I don't know," Harry said truthfully.

"Your owl is really smart," Peter said.

"Yeah."

**The snowy owl clicked her beak and fluttered down onto Harry's arm.**

**"Very smart owl you've got there," chuckled Tom. "Arrived about five minutes after you did. If there's anything you need, Mr. Potter, don't hesitate to ask."**

**He gave another bow and left.**

"Ahhh the perks of being famous,' sighed James dreamily

"It's not all that great,"

**Harry sat on his bed for a long time, absentmindedly stroking Hedwig. The sky outside the window was changing rapidly from deep, velvety blue to cold, steely gray and then, slowly, to pink shot with gold. Harry could hardly believe that he'd left Privet Drive only a few hours ago, that he wasn't expelled, and that he was now facing two completely Dursley-free weeks.**

"That's a rather lovely thought isn't it," Sirius said smiling.

"**It's been a very weird night, Hedwig," he yawned.**

"Understatement of the century,"

**And without even removing his glasses, he slumped back onto his pillows and fell asleep.**

"Well," said Remus after a pause "That was interesting, but I think it is best if we go to sleep. It is 11 pm after all."

"Yeah," yawned Peter, "I'm going to head to bed."

"Remus and Peter changed and went to bed. Sirius got up and stretched, "Night Prongs, night pup," he smiled and went into the bathroom to take a bath.

James looked at Harry ad smiled before pulling his son into a big hug, "Night Har-bear, love ya." He cooed before going into the bathroom to get ready, "Pads, don't use all the hot water again!"

Little did James now how much those words really meant to Harry

15 minutes later, after a long debate, Harry fell asleep in Remus's bed as Sirius and Remus snuggled in Sirius's. James was fast asleep in his bed and so was Peter. They had all agreed to wake up at 9 am to continue reading, but for now they were off to dreamland.

* * *

**Author Note:**

**HI!**

**So the third chapter is done. I liked this as well. I hope I explained why James became bitter a bit better than I did previously. **

**Tell me what you think and also if you want me to keep the RL/SB theme. I am going to remove SS/SB because that just made the story too confusing. **

**Love**

**HM**

**PS: REVIEW!**


	6. The Leaky Cauldron

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Reading the Future with the Marauder **

**Chapter: The Leaky Cauldron**

* * *

Remus was the first to wake as he snuggled closer into his warm pillow. He had had the weirdest dream. If he was to remember correctly, it seemed he had dreamed of James's son coming to the past so they could read the future. Remus chuckled at himself and rolled onto his side and came face to face with two twinkling gray eyes that could only belong to Sirius Black. Remus eeped and fell of the bed, taking the blanket with him.

"What the hell, Rem?" groaned Sirius, "Its freezing." As if to prove his point he gave himself a hug and shivered, "Gimme the blanket back."

Remus rolled his eyes, "Oh please you big baby."

From across the room, James and Harry laughed, "Morning guys," smiled James

"Hey, Seer, Remy," said Harry giving an identical smile.

"Morning," they cried back. "Hungry?" asked Harry picking up a bowl of fried rice.

'What is with Potters and Chinese for breakfast?" asked Sirius.

"It's good," they defended.

Remus groaned, "As if it wasn't bad enough dealing with just one, Potter."

"Hey," cried the two messy haired boys

"Come now, Lupin," smiled Sirius, "It wasn't that bad…"

"What planet do you live on?" asked Remus

"Mars," smiled Sirius cheekily. "Hey, where's Pete, anyway?"

"Still sleeping," said James.

"Well," said Remus, "Go wake him up. We have a book to read."

A few minutes later, after many complaints and much throwing of water, the boys settled down in the center of the room.

"I still think we should get breakfast," complained Peter

"Later," sighed James, "I want to see what happens to my son first. Is that sooooo bad?"

Peter opened his mouth, but Remus shot him a look and he shut up.

"I'll read," James took the book and started to read,** "The Leaky Cauldron."**

**It took Harry several days to get used to his strange new freedom. Never before had he been able to get up whenever he wanted or eat whatever he fancied. **

James growled and Sirius glared at the wall. They both turned to each other and shared a look; Harry wasn't going to grow up with the Dursleys.

**He could even go wherever he pleased, as long as it was in Diagon Alley, and as this long cobbled street was packed with the most fascinating wizarding shops in the world, Harry felt no desire to break his word to Fudge and stray back into the Muggle world.**

"It is rather boring in comparison," said Peter and something odd flashed in Harry's eyes, but it seemed only Sirius noticed.

**Harry ate breakfast each morning in the Leaky Cauldron, where he liked watching the other guests: funny little witches from the country, up for a day's shopping; venerable-looking wizards arguing over the latest article in Transfiguration Today; wild-looking warlocks; raucous dwarfs; and once, what looked suspiciously like a hag, who ordered a plate of raw liver from behind a thick woolen balaclava.**

"EWWW!" cried Peter

"Stalker much," joked Sirius

"Oh shut up, Siri," cried Harry

**After breakfast Harry would go out into the backyard, take out his wand, tap the third brick from the left above the trash bin, and stand back as the archway into Diagon Alley opened in the wall.**

**Harry spent the long sunny days exploring the shops and eating under the brightly colored umbrellas outside cafes, where his fellow diners were showing one another their purchases ("It's a lunascope, old boy — no more messing around with moon charts, see?") **

"They are rather useful," Remus said.

"You'd know, heh, Moons?" joked James softly so only the werewolf could hear. Remus glared at him.

**Or else discussing the case of Sirius Black ("Personally, I won't let any of the children out alone until he's back in Azkaban"). **

"Joy," mutter Sirius

Harry sent him an apologetic smile.

**Harry didn't have to do his homework under the blankets by flashlight anymore; **

"Took all the fun out of it too," pouted Harry

Remus nodded, "I know what you mean."

"Why?" asked Harry

"I went over to my muggle cousin's house. I had to do all my homework in secret, made it more exciting." Explained Remus

"You're a half-blood?" asked Peter

"Yeah," frowned Remus, "You should know that by now…"

Peter shrugged, "Never really paid attention to that fact before."

**now he could sit in the bright sunshine outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, finishing all his essays with occasional help from Florean Fortescue himself, who, apart from knowing a great deal about medieval witch burnings, gave Harry free sundaes every half an hour.**

Peter's stomach groaned, but he knew better then to comment.

**Once Harry had refilled his money bag with gold Galleons, silver Sickles, and bronze Knuts from his vault at Gringotts, he had to exercise a lot of self-control not to spend the whole lot at once. **

"See," said Remus, "Just because you're rich doesn't mean you should spend everything in one go," while saying this he shoot James a meaningful look.

"Whatever Moons," said James.

**He had to keep reminding himself that he had five years to go at Hogwarts, and how it would feel to ask the Dursleys for money for spellbooks,**

"That would epically suck.' Said Sirius

**To stop himself from buying a handsome set of solid gold Gobstones (a wizarding game rather like marbles, in which the stones squirt a nasty-smelling liquid into the other player's face when they lose a point). He was sorely tempted, too, by the perfect, moving model of the galaxy in a large glass ball, which would have meant he never had to take another Astronomy lesson. **

"Astronomy is a lot more fun when my tutors taught me," said Sirius

"Tutors?" asked Harry

"Course, all pureblood children are given tutors so they are a head of all the muggleborns in school," said Sirius

**But the thing that tested Harry's resolution most appeared in his favorite shop, Quality Quidditch Supplies, a week after he'd arrived at the Leaky Cauldron.**

James sighed, "Isn't it always."

"Quidditch freak," teased Sirius

James just pouted.

**Curious to know what the crowd in the shop was staring at, Harry edged his way inside and squeezed in among the excited witches and wizards until he glimpsed a newly erected podium, on which was mounted the most magnificent broom he had ever seen in his life.**

"Awesome a new broom," James shouted.

"**Just come out — prototype —" a square-jawed wizard was telling his companion.**

"**It's the fastest broom in the world, isn't it, Dad?" squeaked a boy younger than Harry, who was swinging off his father's arm.**

"**Irish International Side's just put in an order for seven of these beauties!" the proprietor of the shop told the crowd. "And they're favorites for the World Cup!"**

"I want it!" cried Sirius, James, and even Remus.

"You like Quidditch?" asked Harry

"Course, flying is awesome!" cheered Remus.

**A large witch in front of Harry moved, and he was able to read the sign next to the broom:**

**** THE FIREBOLT ****

**THIS STATE-OF-THE-ART RACING BROOM SPORTS A STREAM-LINED, SUPERFINE HANDLE OF ASH, TREATED WITH A DIAMOND-HARD POLISH AND HAND-NUMBERED WITH ITS OWN REGISTRATION NUMBER. EACH INDIVIDUALLY SELECTED BIRCH TWIG IN THE BROOMTAIL HAS BEEN HONED TO AERODYNAMIC PERFECTION, GIVING THE FIREBOLT UNSURPASSABLE BALANCE AND PINPOINT PRECISION. THE FIREBOLT HAS AN ACCELERATION OF 150 MILES AN HOUR IN TEN SECONDS AND INCORPORATES AN UNBREAKABLE BRAKING CHARM. PRICE ON REQUEST.**

"Please tell me you get it," James shouted much too loudly in his excitement.

"It was too expensive," Harry said shrugging his shoulder.

"Don't worry about that, if you use up the money in the trust then more money will just be added in," James said.

"Really," Harry said; he could have bought everything he wanted.

"You didn't know," asked Sirius

"Dumbledore never told me," said Harry confused

"That's odd," said Sirius confused

**Price on request… Harry didn't like to think how much gold the Firebolt would cost. He had never wanted anything as much in his whole life — but he had never lost a Quidditch match on his Nimbus Two Thousand, and what was the point in emptying his Gringotts vault for the Firebolt, when he had a very good broom already? **

"He has Lily's brains," said Remus

"I know," sighed James as if it was the worst thing in the world, "Way to much common sense."

**Harry didn't ask for the price, but he returned, almost every day after that, just to look at the Firebolt.**

"Understandable," sighed James

**There were, however, things that Harry needed to buy. He went to the Apothecary to replenish his store of potions ingredients, and as his school robes were now several inches too short in the arm and leg, he visited Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and bought new ones. Most important of all, he had to buy his new schoolbooks, which would include those for his two new subjects, Care of Magical Creatures and Divination.**

"Best subjects, ever!" cheered Sirius.

**Harry got a surprise as he looked in at the bookshop window. Instead of the usual display of gold-embossed spellbooks the size of paving slabs, there was a large iron cage behind the glass that held about a hundred copies of The Monster Book of Monsters. Torn pages were flying everywhere as the books grappled with each other, locked together in furious wrestling matches and snapping aggressively.**

**Harry pulled his booklist out of his pocket and consulted it for the first time. The Monster Book of Monsters was listed as the required book for Care of Magical Creatures. **

"Bet Hagrid going to be teaching." Said Sirius "Who else would a sign a biting book?"

"True," said the other three.

**Now Harry understood why Hagrid had said it would come in useful. He felt relieved; he had been wondering whether Hagrid wanted help with some terrifying new pet.**

"Over my dead body," cried all the marauders (minus Peter). Only Sirius noticed.

**As Harry entered Flourish and Blotts, the manager came hurrying toward him.**

"**Hogwarts?" he said abruptly. "Come to get your new books?"**

"**Yes," said Harry, "I need —"**

"**Get out of the way," said the manager impatiently, brushing Harry aside. He drew on a pair of very thick gloves, picked up a large, knobbly walking stick, and proceeded toward the door of the Monster Books' cage.**

"**Hang on," said Harry quickly, "I've already got one of those."**

"**Have you?" A look of enormous relief spread over the manager's face. "Thank heavens for that. I've been bitten five times already this morning —"**

Ouch," said Peter in pity for the manager.

"Ouch indeed," said Remus

**A loud ripping noise rent the air; two of the Monster Books had seized a third and were pulling it apart.**

"**Stop it! Stop it!" cried the manager, poking the walking stick through the bars and knocking the books apart. "I'm never stocking them again, never! It's been bedlam! I thought we'd seen the worst when we bought two hundred copies of the Invisible Book of Invisibility — cost a fortune, and we never found them… Well… is there anything else I can help you with?**

"Yeah," snorted James, "Real smart."

"**Yes," said Harry, looking down his booklist, "I need Unfogging the Future by Cassandra Vablatsky."**

"**Ah, starting Divination, are you?" said the manager, stripping off his gloves and leading Harry into the back of the shop, where there was a corner devoted to fortune-telling. A small table was stacked with volumes such as Predicting the Unpredictable: Insulate Yourself Against Shocks and Broken Balls: When Fortunes Turn Foul.**

"**Here you are," said the manager, who had climbed a set of steps to take down a thick, black-bound book. "Unfogging the Future. Very good guide to all your basic fortune-telling methods — palmistry, crystal balls, bird entrails."**

"Dumbest subject ever," said Peter

"You're only say that because you don't have any talent." Said Sirius with a huff

Peter rolled his eyes.

"Why do you care so much?" asked Harry.

Sirius blushed and James laughed, "Seer's family has always been filled with Seers."

"Really!" said Harry, "I didn't know that."

"It's not a common fact," said Sirius

**But Harry wasn't listening. His eyes had fallen on another book, which was among a display on a small table: Death Omens — What to Do When You Know the Worst Is Coming.**

"**Oh, I wouldn't read that if I were you," said the manager lightly, looking to see what Harry was staring at. "You'll start seeing death omens everywhere. It's enough to frighten anyone to death."**

Harry laughed at how Hermoine had often said similar things whenever the grim was mentioned.

Sirius snorted, skeptics are the reason why magic hasn't advanced very far these days.

**But Harry continued to stare at the front cover of the book; it showed a black dog large as a bear, with gleaming eyes. It looked oddly familiar…**

**The manager pressed Unfogging the Future into Harry's hands.**

"You're going to regret taking that class," insisted Peter

"Shut it," snapped Sirius

"Let it go Pete," said Remus

"Fine," Peter said with a huff.

**"Anything else?" he said." **

"**Yes," said Harry, tearing his eyes away from the dog's and dazedly consulting his booklist. "Er — I need Intermediate Transfiguration and The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Three."**

**Harry emerged from Flourish and Blotts ten minutes later with his new books under his arms and made his way back to the Leaky Cauldron, hardly noticing where he was going and bumping into several people.**

**He tramped up the stairs to his room, went inside, and tipped his books onto his bed. Somebody had been in to tidy; the windows were open and sun was pouring inside. Harry could hear the buses rolling by in the unseen Muggle street behind him and the sound of the invisible crowd below in Diagon Alley. He caught sight of himself in the mirror over the basin.**

"**It can't have been a death omen," he told his reflection defiantly. "I was panicking when I saw that thing in Magnolia Crescent… It was probably just a stray dog…"**

"Hmm," Sirius said.

"Do you think it was you?" Remus asked whispered. He didn't know if Harry knew about his furry little problem or their illegal activities so he wasn't going to tell him just yet.

"Probably, I think I would want to see James' son."

**He raised his hand automatically and tried to make his hair lie flat**

"**You're fighting a losing battle there, dear," said his mirror in a wheezy voice.**

"Listen to your mirror," said James

**As the days slipped by, Harry started looking wherever he went for a sign of Ron or Hermione. Plenty of Hogwarts students were arriving in Diagon Alley now, with the start of term so near. Harry met Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, his fellow Gryffindors, in Quality Quidditch Supplies, where they too were ogling the Firebolt; he also ran into the real Neville Longbottom, a round-faced, forgetful boy, outside Flourish and Blotts. Harry didn't stop to chat;**

"That's rude," said James.

**Neville appeared to have mislaid his booklist and was being told off by his very formidable-looking grandmother. Harry hoped she never found out that he'd pretended to be Neville while on the run from the Ministry of Magic.**

"I feel for you,' said Sirius with a shiver.

"Grandmother is quite scary, ain't she?" said Peter

Harry watched in shock as Sirius and Peter shared secretive smiles. He had never really considered his godfather close to Peter.

**Harry woke on the last day of the holidays, thinking that he would at least meet Ron and Hermione tomorrow, on the Hogwarts Express. He got up, dressed, went for a last look at the Firebolt, and was just wondering where he'd have lunch, when someone yelled his name and he turned.**

"**Harry! HARRY!"**

"You're friends are here," cheered James and Sirius as Remus and Peter giggled at their antics.

**They were there, both of them, sitting outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor — Ron looking incredibly freckly, Hermione very brown, both waving frantically at him.**

"**Finally!" said Ron, grinning at Harry as he sat down. "We went to the Leaky Cauldron, but they said you'd left, and we went to Flourish and Blotts, and Madam Malkin's, and —"**

"**I got all my school stuff last week," Harry explained. "And how come you knew I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron?"**

"**Dad," said Ron simply.**

**Mr. Weasley, who worked at the Ministry of Magic, would of course have heard the whole story of what had happened to Aunt Marge.**

"Oh," said Sirius, "The Weasley's are a great family. I think we're related on my mum's side."

"**Did you really blow up your aunt, Harry?" said Hermione in a very serious voice.**

"**I didn't mean to," said Harry, while Ron roared with laughter. "I just — lost control."**

"**It's not funny, Ron," said Hermione sharply. "Honestly, I'm amazed Harry wasn't expelled."**

"**So am I," admitted Harry. "Forget expelled, I thought I was going to be arrested." He looked at Ron. "Your dad doesn't know why Fudge let me off, does he?"**

"**Probably 'cause it's you, isn't it?" shrugged Ron, still chuckling. "Famous Harry Potter and all that. I'd hate to see what the Ministry'd do to me if I blew up an aunt. **

"He seems slightly jealous," said Remus with a frown.

"Maybe a little," Harry said, "I never have to worry about getting punished."

"I assure you that that won't be the case when I'm around," said James smiling.

Harry chuckled at the thought

**Mind you, they'd have to dig me up first, because Mum would've killed me. Anyway, you can ask Dad yourself this evening. We're staying at the Leaky Cauldron tonight too! So you can come to King's Cross with us tomorrow! Hermione's there as well!"**

**Hermione nodded, beaming. "Mum and Dad dropped me off this morning with all my Hogwarts things."**

"She a muggleborn?" asked Peter

"Yeah," said Harry, "Why?"

"Just wondering," he said with a shrug, "Kind of reminds of Lily."

"Yeah," said Sirius, "That same excited glow about things we consider normal."

"That isn't very nice," snapped James.

"Didn't mean it like that Prongs." Defended Sirius

"**Excellent!" said Harry happily. "So, have you got all your new books and stuff?"**

"**Look at this," said Ron, pulling a long thin box out of a bag and opening it. "Brand-new wand. Fourteen inches, willow, containing one unicorn tail-hair. And we've got all our books —" He pointed at a large bag under his chair. "What about those Monster Books, eh? The assistant nearly cried when we said we wanted two."**

"Poor thing," sighed Peter

"**What's all that, Hermione?" Harry asked, pointing at not one but three bulging bags in the chair next to her.**

"**Well, I'm taking more new subjects than you, aren't I," said Hermione. "Those are my books for Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, the Study of Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies —"**

"**What are you doing Muggle Studies for?" said Ron, rolling his eyes at Harry. "You're Muggle-born! Your mum and dad are Muggles! You already know all about Muggles!"**

"**But it'll be fascinating to study them from the wizarding point of view," said Hermione earnestly.**

"God, she's worse then you and Lily combined," snickered Sirius.

Remus blushed, "Oi, shut up."

"**Are you planning to eat or sleep at all this year, Hermione?" asked Harry, while Ron sniggered. Hermione ignored them.**

"**I've still got ten Galleons," she said, checking her purse. "It's my birthday in September, and Mum and Dad gave me some money to get myself an early birthday present."**

**"How about a nice book? said Ron innocently.**

"He reminds me scarily of you Pads," joked Remus

"Does that make you Hermoine then," asked Sirius

James laughed, "You just need to find a Peter and Minnie'll be chasing after a second generation of Marauders."

"**No, I don't think so," said Hermione composedly. "I really want an owl. I mean, Harry's got Hedwig and you've got Errol —"**

**"I haven't," said Ron. "Errol's a family owl. All I've got is Scabbers." He pulled his pet rat out of his pocket. "And I want to get him checked over," he added, placing Scabbers on the table in front of them. "I don't think Egypt agreed with him."**

**Scabbers was looking thinner than usual, and there was a definite droop to his whiskers.**

"Poor thing," sighed Peter

Harry looked up innocently (he was a great actor), "Why do you care so much about rats? A lot of people think their gross."

"Well… um… you see…." Stuttered Peter

"Peter used to own a rat," saved James as Peter nodded

"All right," said Harry

"**There's a magical creature shop just over there," said Harry, who knew Diagon Alley very well by now. "You could see if they've got anything for Scabbers, and Hermione can get her owl."**

**So they paid for their ice cream and crossed the street to the Magical Menagerie.**

**There wasn't much room inside. Every inch of wall was hidden by cages. It was smelly and very noisy because the occupants of these cages were all squeaking, squawking, jabbering, or hissing. The witch behind the counter was already advising a wizard on the care of double-ended newts, so Harry, Ron, and Hermione waited, examining the cages.**

"They have the most interesting animals," said Remus

Peter and James just rolled their eyes.

**A pair of enormous purple toads sat gulping wetly and feasting on dead blowflies. A gigantic tortoise with a jewel-encrusted shell was glittering near the window. Poisonous orange snails were oozing slowly up the side of their glass tank, and a fat white rabbit kept changing into a silk top hat and back again with a loud popping noise. Then there were cats of every color, a noisy cage of ravens, a basket of funny custard-colored furballs that were humming loudly, and on the counter, a vast cage of sleek black rats that were playing some sort of skipping game using their long, bald tails.**

"Hate cats," said Sirius.

Harry snorted thinking of Crookshanks.

**The double-ended newt wizard left, and Ron approached the counter.**

"**It's my rat," he told the witch. "He's been a bit off-color ever since I brought him back from Egypt."**

"**Bang him on the counter," said the witch, pulling a pair of heavy black spectacles out of her pocket.**

**Ron lifted Scabbers out of his inside pocket and placed him next to the cage of his fellow rats, who stopped their skipping tricks and scuffled to the wire for a better took.**

"Show offs," grumbled Peter

**Like nearly everything Ron owned, Scabbers the rat was secondhand (he had once belonged to Ron's brother Percy) and a bit battered. Next to the glossy rats in the cage, he looked especially woebegone.**

"Must have fed him something he shouldn't have," said Remus

"**Hm," said the witch, picking up Scabbers. "How old is this rat?"**

"**Dunno," said Ron. "Quite old. He used to belong to my brother."**

"**What powers does he have?" said the witch, examining Scabbers closely.**

"**Er —" The truth was that Scabbers had never shown the faintest trace of interesting powers. **

"That's odd," said Remus, "Especially since he lived so long."

**The witch's eyes moved from Scabbers's tattered left ear to his front paw, which had a toe missing, and tutted loudly.**

"**He's been through the mill, this one," she said.**

"**He was like that when Percy gave him to me," said Ron defensively.**

"That is animal abuse," sighed Peter, "But no one ever cares when it's a rat."

"That's not true Peter," said Sirius

Harry wondered if Peter was making a reference to his home life or rat's lives in general. Then he remembered he didn't really care.

"**An ordinary common or garden rat like this can't be expected to live longer than three years or so," said the witch. "Now, if you were looking for something a bit more hard-wearing, you might like one of these —"**

**She indicated the black rats, who promptly started skipping again. Ron muttered, "Show-offs."**

"Ron doesn't need a new rat." snapped Peter

Now Harry was sure that Peter was referring to himself and not Scabbers, which is kind of confusing because he is Scabbers. Harry decided to just stop thinking because it hurt his brain too much.

"**Well, if you don't want a replacement, you can try this rat tonic," said the witch, reaching under the counter and bringing out a small red bottle.**

"**Okay," said Ron. "How much — OUCH!"**

**Ron buckled as something huge and orange came soaring from the top of the highest cage, landed on his head, and then propelled itself, spitting madly, at Scabbers.**

"**NO, CROOKSHANKS, NO!" cried the witch, but Scabbers shot from between her hands like a bar of soap, landed splay-legged on the floor, and then scampered for the door.**

"Poor thing."

"**Scabbers!" Ron shouted, racing out of the shop after him; Harry followed.**

**It took them nearly ten minutes to catch Scabbers, who had taken refuge under a wastepaper bin outside Quality Quidditch Supplies. Ron stuffed the trembling rat back into his pocket and straightened up, massaging his head.**

"**What was that?"**

"**It was either a very big cat or quite a small tiger," said Harry.**

"I'd go with the tiger," joked Sirius

"**Where's Hermione?"**

"**Probably getting her owl."**

"Wouldn't it be funny if she bought the tiger?" joked James

"No," groaned Harry

James's eyes widened in realization, "She didn't…"

**They made their way back up the crowded street to the Magical Menagerie. As they reached it, Hermione came out, but she wasn't carrying an owl. Her arms were clamped tightly around the enormous ginger cat.**

"This will make for an interesting school year," said Remus indifferently

"You have no clue," sighed Harry.

"**You bought that monster?" said Ron, his mouth hanging open.**

"**He's gorgeous, isn't he?" said Hermione, glowing.**

"Ummm…"

**That was a matter of opinion, thought Harry. The cat's ginger fur was thick and fluffy, but it was definitely a bit bowlegged and its face looked grumpy and oddly squashed, as though it had run headlong into a brick wall.**

"Its true!" exclaimed Sirius, "Love is blind."

**Now that Scabbers was out of sight, however, the cat was purring contentedly in Hermione's arms.**

"**Hermione, that thing nearly scalped me!" said Ron.**

"**He didn't mean to, did you, Crookshanks?" said Hermione.**

"**And what about Scabbers?" said Ron, pointing at the lump in his chest pocket. "He needs rest and relaxation! How's he going to get it with that thing around?"**

"Yeah, Hermoine," cried Peter, "Think about the poor rat."

Harry rolled his eyes at Peter's antics…as did Sirius.

"**That reminds me, you forgot your rat tonic," said Hermione, slapping the small red bottle into Ron's hand. "And stop worrying, Crookshanks will be sleeping in my dormitory and Scabbers in yours, what's the problem? Poor Crookshanks, that witch said he'd been in there for ages; no one wanted him."**

"**Wonder why," said Ron sarcastically as they set off toward the Leaky Cauldron.**

All the boys laughed.

**They found Mr. Weasley sitting in the bar, reading the Daily Prophet.**

"**Harry!" he said, smiling as he looked up. "How are you?"**

**"Fine, thanks," said Harry as he, Ron, and Hermione joined Mr. Weasley with their shopping.**

**Mr. Weasley put down his paper, and Harry saw the now familiar picture of Sirius Black staring up at him.**

"Ugh," sighed Sirius, "Here I come."

James sighed and tried reading the next section as fast as he could.

"**They still haven't caught him, then?" he asked.**

"**No," said Mr. Weasley, looking extremely grave. "They've pulled us all off our regular jobs at the Ministry to try and find him, but no luck so far."**

Remus was glad that Sirius had stayed hidden for so long.

"**Would we get a reward if we caught him?" asked Ron. "It'd be good to get some more money —"**

"I have a feeling money problems are going to affect your friendship in the near future." Said James

"Eh" said Peter, "All Padfoot's have their problems."

"Funny how ours and yours are the exact opposite," said Remus thoughtfully, "Ours is family and Ron's is money."

"Kinda funny," agreed Harry.

"**Don't be ridiculous, Ron," said Mr. Weasley, who on closer inspection looked very strained. "Black's not going to be caught by a thirteen-year-old wizard. It's the Azkaban guards who'll get him back, you mark my words."**

"Not if I have a say in it," grumbled Remus and Peter nodded his head.

Sirius felt warmth in his chest to his friends. It was great they were supporting him even if all the facts pointed at him being guilty of all crimes.

Harry thought it ironic that it was Peter's fault Sirius was on the run in the first place, but was saying he was going to help Siri.

**At that moment Mrs. Weasley entered the bar, laden with shopping bags and followed by the twins, Fred and George, who were about to start their fifth year at Hogwarts; the newly elected Head Boy, Percy; and the Weasleys' youngest child and only girl, Ginny.**

**Ginny, who had always been very taken with Harry,**

"You're going to get married," said Sirius

"We are not!' cried Harry red in the face.

"She's a red head," said Sirius, "All Potters marry red heads."

"It's true," agreed James, "And by the way he said the same thing about me and Lily, too."

"She's my best mate's sister!" defended Harry

"So?" asked James and Sirius.

**seemed even more heartily embarrassed than usual when she saw him, perhaps because he had saved her life during their previous year at Hogwarts. She went very red and muttered "hello" without looking at him. **

**Percy, however, held out his hand solemnly as though he and Harry had never met and said, "Harry. How nice to see you."**

"Pompous prat."

"I guess," frowned Sirius

"**Hello, Percy," said Harry, trying not to laugh.**

"**I hope you're well?" said Percy pompously, shaking hands. It was rather like being introduced to the mayor.**

"**Very well, thanks —"**

"**Harry!" said Fred, elbowing Percy out of the way and bowing deeply. "Simply splendid to see you, old boy —"**

"**Marvelous," said George, pushing Fred aside and seizing Harry's hand in turn. "Absolutely spiffing."**

"Brilliant," James said laughing. Sirius chuckled, but he felt a little guilty afterwards.

**Percy scowled.**

"**That's enough, now," said Mrs. Weasley.**

"**Mum!" said Fred, as though he'd only just spotted her and seizing her hand, too. "How really corking to see you —"**

"**I said, that's enough," said Mrs. Weasley, depositing her shopping in an empty chair. "Hello, Harry, dear. I suppose you've heard our exciting news?" She pointed to the brand-new silver badge on Percy's chest. "Second Head Boy in the family!" she said, swelling with pride.**

"I have a feeling that she compares her kids a lot," said James, "Not the best parenting then…"

"That means Ron's problem isn't money, but confidence." Said Remus

"Weird that you guys know so much about my friends even if you only just read about him," said Harry pouting a little. It took him a while to figure out Ron's problem.

"Nah," said Sirius, "He's just a lot a like me."

"**And last," Fred muttered under his breath.**

"**I don't doubt that," said Mrs. Weasley, frowning suddenly. "I notice they haven't made you two prefects."**

"**What do we want to be prefects for?" said George, looking revolted at the very idea. "It'd take all the fun out of life."**

"There is nothing wrong with Prefects," cried Remus slightly hurt.

"Remmy," said Sirius, "Most of them are prats, you're an accepting not the rule."

"Still…"

"Oi, what about Lils?" asked James.

"Nahh, she's a prat," said Remus and Sirius. Peter snickered at the Potters' faces

**Ginny giggled.**

"**You want to set a better example for your sister!" snapped Mrs. Weasley.**

"**Ginny's got other brothers to set her an example, Mother," said Percy loftily. "I'm going up to change for dinner…"**

**He disappeared and George heaved a sigh.**

"**We tried to shut him in a pyramid,"**

"That's horrible," cried Sirius.

"Why do you care?" asked Harry

"His family talks about him like mine do to me, just because he doesn't want to be like the rest of them and what they consider 'Weasily-ish."

Harry had never thought of that and wondered if that is why Percy threw himself into work. It was the only place he felt wanted.

**He told Harry. "But Mum spotted us."**

**Dinner that night was a very enjoyable affair. Tom the innkeeper put three tables together in the parlor, and the seven Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione ate their way through five delicious courses.**

"**How're we getting to King's Cross tomorrow, Dad?" asked Fred as they dug into a sumptuous chocolate pudding.**

"**The Ministry's providing a couple of cars," said Mr. Weasley.**

**Everyone looked up at him.**

"**Why?" said Percy curiously.**

"So Harry can have an escort," Sirius said bitterly, he hated these reminders that everyone believed that he was after his godson.

Remus bit his bottom lip worriedly as he noticed Sirius's sad mood.

"**It's because of you, Perce," said George seriously. "And there'll be little flags on the hoods, with HB on them—"**

"— **for Humongous Bighead," said Fred.**

"Leave him alone," snapped Sirius angrily, "Just cause he's different…"

**Everyone except Percy and Mrs. Weasley snorted into their pudding.**

"Harry," scolded Sirius.

'He's a bit of a prat," cried Harry with his hands up in surrender.

"More like a lot," joked James

"He's motivated and a hell of a lot more mature then his brothers," snapped Sirius, "I bet he was shoved out of the way so Molly could take care of the twins. I bet he raised himself and helped take care of Rona and Ginny because Bill and Charlie are already grown. I bet he only acts like that as a copping method and he has a low self-esteem just like Ron."

"He's not you Sirius," growled James

"No," agreed Sirius, "He's like Regulas."

An uncomfortable silence fell over everyone as Peter started to read again.

"**Why are the Ministry providing cars, Father?" Percy asked again, in a dignified voice.**

"**Well, as we haven't got one anymore," said Mr. Weasley, "and as I work there, they're doing me a favor…"**

"Bull,"

**His voice was casual, but Harry couldn't help noticing that Mr. Wesley's ears had gone red, just like Ron's did when he was under pressure.**

"That is why no Weasley would ever make it in Slytherin," said James proudly.

"A good and bad thing," said Sirius, but it was muttered so only so that only Remus heard because of his werewolf hearing powers.

**"Good thing, too," said Mrs. Weasley briskly. "Do you realize how much luggage you've all got between you? A nice sight you'd be on the Muggle Underground… You are all packed, aren't you?"**

"**Ron hasn't put all his new things in his trunk yet," said Percy, in a long-suffering voice. "He's dumped them on my bed."**

"Just like Regulas said Sirius a little put off, "It was uncalled for but still he would be better if his sibling were nicer."

"Why is it his sibling's fault?" asked James

"We are a product of our surroundings," said Sirius wisely.

"What about you?" asked Harry

"I met a muggle so I knew they weren't all bad."

"**You'd better go and pack properly, Ron, because we won't have much time in the morning," Mrs. Weasley called down the table. Ron scowled at Percy.**

**After dinner everyone felt very full and sleepy. One by one they made their way upstairs to their rooms to check their things for the next day. Ron and Percy were next door to Harry. **

**He had just closed and locked his own trunk when he heard angry voices through the wall, and went to see what was going on.**

**The door of number twelve was ajar and Percy was shouting.**

"**It was here, on the bedside table, I took it off for polishing —"**

"He polishes his badge?" asked Remus. He looked over to his nightstand where his tarnished badge lay.

"Only you don't actually," said James, "Lily does."

Remus shrugged, "Isn't worth it."

"And that is why you're not a prat of a prefect," smiled James

Remus rolled his eyes.

"**I haven't touched it, all right?" Ron roared back.**

"**What's up?" said Harry.**

"**My Head Boy badge is gone," said Percy, rounding on Harry.**

"It's just a badge," said Remus confused, "don't need to get so angry."

"It symbolizes how well he's done," explained Sirius, "Sets him apart from his brothers in a good way."

"I guess…"

"**So's Scabbers's Rat Tonic," said Ron, throwing things out of his trunk to look. "I think I might've left it in the bar —"**

"**You're not going anywhere till you've found my badge!" yelled Percy.**

"**I'll get Scabbers's stuff, I'm packed," Harry said to Ron, and he went downstairs.**

**Harry was halfway along the passage to the bar, which was now very dark, when he heard another pair of angry voices coming from the parlor. A second later, he recognized them as Mr. and Mrs. Weasleys'. He hesitated, not wanting them to know he'd heard them arguing, when the sound of his own name made him stop, then move closer to the parlor door.**

Sirius bit his lip; here it comes again.

"… **makes no sense not to tell him," Mr. Weasley was saying heatedly. "Harry's got a right to know. I've tried to tell Fudge, but he insists on treating Harry like a child. He's thirteen years old and —"**

"**Arthur, the truth would terrify him!" said Mrs. Weasley shrilly. "Do you really want to send Harry back to school with that hanging over him? For heaven's sake, he's happy not knowing!"**

"I have a feeling, him not knowing things will only hurt in the end not help," said Sirius

"Ignorance is bliss," pointed out Remus.

"And knowledge is power," said Sirius, "We've been over this and someone in Harry's position needs all the upper hand he can get."

Harry was shocked by how spot on Sirius was in his predictions. It seems his future self and younger self held the same beliefs.

"**I don't want to make him miserable, I want to put him on his guard!" retorted Mr. Weasley. "You know what Harry and Ron are like, wandering off by themselves — they've ended up in the Forbidden Forest twice! But Harry mustn't do that this year! When I think what could have happened to him that night he ran away from home! If the Knight Bus hadn't picked him up, I'm prepared to bet he would have been dead before the Ministry found him."**

"Arthur gets it," said Sirius proudly.

"If only Molly did," sighed Peter with a shake of his head.

"I have a feeling this is going to cause problems later, "said James.

"**But he's not dead, he's fine, so what's the point —"**

"See, but what if he didn't," pointed out Sirius.

"**Molly, they say Sirius Black's mad, and maybe he is, but he was clever enough to escape from Azkaban, and that's supposed to be impossible. It's been three weeks, and no one's seen hide nor hair of him, and I don't care what Fudge keeps telling the Daily Prophet, we're no nearer catching Black than inventing self-spelling wands. The only thing we know for sure is what Black's after —"**

"**But Harry will be perfectly safe at Hogwarts."**

"So far it looks like he is never safe at Hogwarts," said Sirius reflecting back to what Harry had told them last night."

"**We thought Azkaban was perfectly safe. If Black can break out of Azkaban, he can break into Hogwarts."**

"**But no one's really sure that Black's after Harry —"**

**There was a thud on wood, and Harry was sure Mr. Weasley had banged his fist on the table.**

"Thank you Arthur!' cheered James. "Remind me to thank him, won't you?"

"Okay," said Peter

"**Molly, how many times do I have to tell you? They didn't report it in the press because Fudge wanted it kept quiet, but Fudge went out to Azkaban the night Black escaped. The guards told Fudge that Blacks been talking in his sleep for a while now. Always the same words: 'He's at Hogwarts… he's at Hogwarts.' **

"Oh god," cried Sirius, "What if..." He looked at Harry with sad eyes.

"No," snapped James, "You're probably referring to something else. I refuse to allow yourself to believe in this rubbish."

**Black is deranged, Molly, and he wants Harry dead. If you ask me, he thinks murdering Harry will bring You-Know-Who back to power. **

**Black lost everything the night Harry stopped You-Know-Who, and he's had twelve years alone in Azkaban to brood on that…"**

"I did in a sense," sighed Sirius, "James dead and me shipped to Azkaban."

Remus looked at his hands guiltily, why he hadn't tried to help Sirius.

**There was a silence. Harry leaned still closer to the door, desperate to hear more.**

"**Well, Arthur, you must do what you think is right. But you're forgetting Albus Dumbledore. I don't think anything could hurt Harry at Hogwarts while Dumbledore's Headmaster. I suppose he knows about all this?"**

'Dumbledore has done a wonderful job so far, hasn't he?" said James sarcastically

"A wonderful job," snapped Remus

"**Of course he knows. We had to ask him if he minds the Azkaban guards stationing themselves around the entrances to the school grounds. He wasn't happy about it, but he agreed."**

"Dementors are going to be a Hogwarts," Remus said paling.

"Yeah," Harry said with a shiver.

"They must affect you pretty badly," Remus said sadly, knowing all the pain and suffering that Harry had in his life.

"Yeah."

"**Not happy? Why shouldn't he be happy, if they're there to catch Black?"**

"**Dumbledore isn't fond of the Azkaban guards," said Mr. Weasley heavily. "Nor am I, if it comes to that… but when you're dealing with a wizard like Black, you sometimes have to join forces with those you'd rather avoid."**

"Sounds like something Dumbledore would say," noted Peter.

**"If they save Harry —"**

"– **then I will never say another word against them," said Mr. Weasley wearily. "It's late, Molly, we'd better go up…"**

**Harry heard chairs move. As quietly as he could, he hurried down the passage to the bar and out of sight. The parlor door opened, and a few seconds later footsteps told him that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were climbing the stairs.**

**The bottle of rat tonic was lying under the table they had sat at earlier. Harry waited until he heard Mr. and Mrs. Wesley's bedroom door close, then headed back upstairs with the bottle.**

**Fred and George were crouching in the shadows on the landing, heaving with laughter as they listened to Percy dismantling his and Ron's room in search of his badge.**

"**We've got it," Fred whispered to Harry. "We've been improving it."**

**The badge now read Bighead Boy.**

"You're right," said James, "That is a little mean."

"You've done worse to Snape," said Remus

"Yeah," said James, "But he deserves it and they're family."

"Whatever."

**Harry forced a laugh, went to give Ron the rat tonic, then shut himself in his room and lay down on his bed.**

**So Sirius Black was after him. **

"You're going to hate me," Sirius said in a hollow voice.

"Sorry," Harry said sadly; he really did hate the mass murdering Sirius Black and he knows how much that is going to hurt his godfather.

"But he doesn't hate you now Padfoot," James noted and Sirius smiled. That was true, and the biggest proof that he never did the crimes he was convicted of, since he knew Harry well enough now to know that Harry would never have been acting like he was part of Harry's family if he did what they were saying he did.

**This explained everything. Fudge had been lenient with him because he was so relieved to find him alive. He'd made Harry promise to stay in Diagon Alley where there were plenty of wizards to keep an eye on him. And he was sending two Ministry cars to take them all to the station tomorrow, so that the Weasleys could look after Harry until he was on the train.**

**Harry lay listening to the muffled shouting next door and wondered why he didn't feel more scared. Sirius Black had murdered thirteen people with one curse; Mr. and Mrs. Weasley obviously thought Harry would be panic-stricken if he knew the truth. But Harry happened to agree wholeheartedly with Mrs. Weasley that the safest place on earth was wherever Albus Dumbledore happened to be. Didn't people always say that Dumbledore was the only person Lord Voldemort had ever been afraid of? Surely Black, as Voldemort's right-hand man, would be just as frightened of him?**

"I was never frightened of Dumbledore," Sirius scuffed, indeed feeling much better since James pointed out that the Harry in the room liked him.

"That's because you're not an evil mad man meant on destroying the world," James said.

"Exactly."

**And then there were these Azkaban guards everyone kept talking about. They seemed to scare most people senseless, and if they were stationed all around the school, Black's chances of getting inside seemed very remote.**

**No, all in all, the thing that bothered Harry most was the fact that his chances of visiting Hogsmeade now looked like zero. Nobody would want Harry to leave the safety of the castle until Black was caught; in fact, Harry suspected his every move would be carefully watched until the danger had passed.**

"I'm sorry pup," Sirius said.

"It's all right."

**He scowled at the dark ceiling. Did they think he couldn't look after himself? He'd escaped Lord Voldemort three times; he wasn't completely useless…**

"They just want to protect you," said Peter smiling at harry, "It doesn't mean your useless."

Harry was startled by Peter's insight but nodded nonetheless, "I know that now."

**Unbidden, the image of the beast in the shadows of Magnolia Crescent crossed his mind. What to do when you know the worst is coming…**

**"I'm not going to be murdered," Harry said out loud.**

"**That's the spirit, dear," said his mirror sleepily.**

"That's the end of the chapter," James said.

* * *

**Author Note:**

**Well, no slash. I've decided it's to confusing. Maybe in my sequal to this series that I'll have a bit of slash between either J/S or R/S while they're taking care of Harry. Sorry**

**Lots of Love**

**HM**


	7. Guilt

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Reading the Future with the Marauder **

**Chapter: Guilt

* * *

**

James has never considered himself a mean person.

Oh, don't get him wrong. He knew that sometimes he could be a little mean, but he didn't think he was cruel. Far from it, he thought himself a loyal friend, a smart student (if not always a little disrespectful) and an overall moral person.

As of right now, he was having second thoughts.

"How?" snarled Harry as he glared at his father, "How could you say that to him? He's your best friend!"

James wiped his watery eyes on his sleeve and shrugged. Why had he said it? Good question.

"Why, goddamn it?" he cried clenching his hands into his fits.

He didn't move, just continued to stare at the floor, "I don't know."

Harry growled and in a blur of rage struck his father so that he fell to the floor clutching his stomach and gasping for air.

"Harry!" cried Remus jumping up from his bed and rushing to James's sides, "Please, control yourself."

Harry glowered and hissed; "Go to hell, werewolf, like you tried to stop him from doing…that…to Sirius."

Remus paled and looked up at him as if he had been brutally betrayed, "Harry…"

Harry snorted and stormed out of the room, but just as he was about to slam the door shut he called out, "Oh and you are right James. Sirius would've made a much better father then you."

To James that felt worse than any punch could have.

* * *

Harry sighed and leaned back against the door. What was wrong with him? He never overacted like that. He, especially, didn't mean to say that to Remus…but what Dad had to said to Sirius…

He sighed and started to climb down the stairs before collapsing onto the sofa in a show of disgruntled limbs and messy hair.

How had everything gone so wrong in less than two hours?

"Oi, Potter?" called an annoyingly girly voice. Harry sighed and opened his eyes to see a waterfall of red hair and emerald green eyes glaring down at him.

_Oh come on!_

* * *

Stumbling a bit, Sirius slowed to a jog before collapsing next to a tree deep within the Forbidden Forest. Everything was so messed up and he had no clue what he had done wrong.

He knew it had to do with Harry, but…he had never tried to become Harry's father and he had no clue that James was jealous.

'_Some best friend I am,' _he mused bitterly before picking himself up and continued to walk into the forest. Maybe if he got lucky a Centaur or something would just shoot him in the head with an arrow. He had never really felt suicidal before the Incident, but guilty can do horrible things to you. He had thought that things were getting better and that they were all becoming friends again, but…now he knew better.

"I can't face them," he whispered to himself. Giving a world wary sigh, he sat down, leaning against one of the giant evergreens and closed his eyes. Trying to digest what had just happened.

Two hours ago everything had seemed fine. They had taken a short break from reading to eat some food that Peter had stolen from the kitchen when he and Harry had started to tease Remus.

In good humor, James had joined in and started to tease Harry in all good fun when jokingly he had told James about how Lily would probably be changing all the nappies and telling James to get off his lazy ass like in those funny American Muggle Sit-cons.

He honest to god had no idea James would go off like that.

Next thing he knows he and his best friend are in a debate over who would make a better father. Sirius isn't entirely sure if one would really call it a debate. He hadn't been disagreeing with James about who would make a better father. In fact, James had been debating with himself.

The whole thing had taken to the worse and next thing he knows, he and his best friend are punching each other as Remus tried to break us apart with some help form Harry. In the end, Remus had kicked him out to take a cool off, but Sirius hadn't gone quietly. Fighting back tears, he had screamed the cruelest things to his best friend as he stole several insults from Evan's bags of tricks.

After that he had taken off, running into the forest so to calm his nerves. The whole bloody thing was just one giant mess.

Shutting his eyes, he opted to take a short nap when with a jolt of fear he heard some start to scream. Fear coursing through his veins he took off to find the source of the noise. What he saw made his heart stop.

There lay Snape, a pile of twitching flesh as a demon of a man towered over him. Sirius gulped and backed away slowly as he took in the dark swirling cloak, lack of hair and pale skin. How had the Dark Lord entered Hogwarts grounds?

* * *

**Author Note:**

**Sorry that took so long. I had deleted the old version of this, but I think this one actually turned out better. Tell me if there are any mistakes (especially towards the end because I rushed it a bit there).**

**Remember to review**

**Lots of Love**

**HM**


	8. Red Heads, Heroes, and Regrets

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Reading the Future with the Marauder **

**Chapter: Red Heads, Heroes, and Regrets

* * *

**

"Evans," said Harry trying to act like dad.

Lily rolled her eyes, "Don't take that tone with me, Potter." She snapped, "You have some serious explaining to do!"

Harry raised an eyebrow; trying to give an air of smugness he'd seen his father show in Snape's memory.

She huffed, her face a slight pink from suppressed rage, "Why the hell did Sirius run out of here crying? I know it's your fault!"

Harry stopped himself from nodding in agreement (It was his father's fault after all) and asked with genuine surprise, "Why do you care?"

"You know me and Siri are friends." She said angrily, "In fact, I do remember you distinctly not taking to Sirius for a week after we became friends."

Harry flinched each time she said a "t" or "k". He had always assumed his mother's voice would be sweet and soothing, but her sharp sounds cut into his eardrums like a knife, "Still doesn't make it your problem," Harry said.

Her glare intensified, "I hate you Potter, and if ANYTHING happens to Sirius it's on your head." Then she stormed out of the common room in a furry of red.

Harry sighed and got up to go follow her, his mother wasn't the only one who cared about Sirius.

* * *

Sirius swallowed and started to edge away from the scene slowly. He had to get away and tell Dumbledore. If Voldemort could get in anytime her wanted then they were all in serious trouble.

Careful as he could, he started to crawl backwards when his knee broke a stick. It was like a gunshot to Sirius's ears. Terrified, he hit the floor, pressing himself as flat as possible in hopes he wouldn't notice him.

'What was that?" snarled Voldemort, aiming his wand at Sirius's general direction.

"An animal most likely, my Lord," said a Death Eater Sirius had not noticed before.

Voldemort's eyes narrowed, "Of course," he said before re-aiming his wand on Snape, "I hope this taught you a lesson in respect," he snarled.

Snape clamored to his knees, the after effect of the unforgivable causing his body to twitch, "Forgive me, Master." He begged, head bowed and Sirius fought the urge to throw up in disgust.

Voldemort nodded and then gave sickly smile, "I do not like to punish my followers if I can help it. Do not disappoint me again." Snape nodded.

The Death Eater chuckled softly as the younger boy flinched as if expecting to be hit.

"Come on Malfoy," snapped Voldemort.

The Death Eater (Malfoy) pulled away from the tree he had been leaning on. His eyes paused over Sirius's bush and Sirius pressed himself closer to the ground, holding his breath. Finally, Malfoy turned and followed his master out. Sirius waited in silence until he heard the crack of Apperation. He gave a sigh of release and stood up with every intention to run to Dumbledore and tell him everything…until he remembered whom else was still in the clearing, shaking in pain.

"Snape," said Sirius calmly, walking into the clearing and dropping down in front of his classmate.

Snape looked up at him from over his bangs. When his pain filled mind finally figured out who was talking to him, he flinched back and tried to scramble away, but Sirius grabbed his arm, "Hey, hold on," said Sirius trying to calm Snape down, "Let's get you to Madame Pomfrey."

Snape shock his head, "Get away from me." His arm twitched as another bought of shock hit him

"Please," pleaded Sirius, biting his bottom lip, "If we don't get you treated…after being put under the curse for so long, the after effects can last for months!"

Snape snorted, "And how do you know that?"

Sirius sighed, "Because I've been through the same thing."

* * *

"James…" started Remus looking at one of his best friends who'd been lying on his back, sulking, for the past few minutes. "Do…do you want to talk about it?"

James shrugged and looked over at Remus, "Why'd I do it?"

Remus shrugged, "Why where you jealous of Sirius?"

"Cause," James sighed looking back up at the ceiling, finding it easier then to look at Remus in the face, "Harry is so…comfortable around Sirius and it's like…god I'm a suck-ish father."

"No you're not," assured Remus, "You're fifteen."

"And a horrible father," insisted James.

"You don't have to be his father, James," sighed Remus, "You have to be his friend and besides…you're dead in his time, no offense."

"None taken,"

"So seeing you alive is a crazy experience for him," explained Remus, "At least Sirius is alive and Harry knows him in a way."

James shrugged, "I wish I could take it all back."

"You can," said Remus confidently, "All you have to do is talk to them and apologize. Things will be tense foe a bit, but we'll get through this,"

"And how do you know that?" asked James

"We're Marauders silly," Remus smiled, "We can get through anything."

"Yeah," James said smiling sadly, "We're Marauders."

* * *

**Author Note:**

**Another depressing (kind of) chapter, Yay! **

**So who liked Lily? I didn't. I always thought of her as a bit of big meanie in her younger years because she couldn't be perfect either. **

**I hope you liked it and remember to review**

**Lots of Love**

**HM**


	9. BLue Letters

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Reading the Future with the Marauder **

**Chapter: Blue Letters

* * *

**

"What do you mean you've been through the same thing?" asked Snape.

Sirius sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, trying to find the right words, "I...I've never really gotten along with my parents."

"Are you saying your parents would..." Snape trailed of not believing it.

"Can we have this conversation later?" Asked Sirius cutting him off, his eyes downcast. "This doesn't exactly seem like the right time..."

Snape's eyes narrowed and after a few seconds nodded in agreement, "All right," he said.

Sirius smiled in gratitude and got up. Snape tried to follow, but his knees gave out, still weak from the torture he'd just gone through. Sirius caught him and together they limped silently through the forest towards the castle. Their journey was smooth except for the occasional stumble and Sirius found it odd for he had never heard the forest so silent.  
...

"Potter why the hell are you following me,"

Harry jumped as if he had been electrocuted and with a sheepish grin, walked out of his hiding place, "Was I really that bad?"

Lily's glare intensified, "I don't know what your problem is! You're not acting like yourself at all. You aren't even making half the effort. What? You think I'm an idiot? You think I wouldn't notice you following me around like a drunken elephant. It's not like you!"

Harry glared at her, "I just wanted to make sure Sirius was okay! Contrary to your belief, the world doesn't revolve around you"

Her jaw went slack and she started at him in disbelief, "You're…you're eyes…their green..."

…

"Hey, James?"

"Yeah?" Asked James as he glanced over to the open bathroom where Remus had been standing for the past ten minutes checking his reflection.

"How do you think Harry knew I was a werewolf?" He asked turning away from the mirror to look at his glassy eyed friend.

James blinked a few times as if to clear the fog from his brain. "Well, he is from the future," he concluded after a few more minutes of confusion.

Remus rolled his eyes, "No duh," he snorted and walked into the room, sitting next to James on the red bed, "You know you really shouldn't be smoking those."

James gave a crooked smile and took another drag of marijuana, "Hmmm..."

Remus sighed and grabbed the drug from James and took a quick puff, "Your son might walk in any minute."

"If he asks for one I'll kill him," said James in a slow drawl and then giggled, "Big hypocrite I am huh?"

Remus couldn't help it either and giggled to (he blamed it on the high) "Aren't we all?"  
...

After getting out the forest the two boys had hurried to the castle as Snape had started to complain about stomach cramps and dizziness, which (thanks to his extra tutoring outside of Hogwarts) Sirius knew meant that Snape had been magically poisoned by the little extra bit of power Voldemort had thrown into the curse seeing as his body was not used to such dark magic.

"Explain it to me one more time," commanded Snape as Madame Pomfrey left the room to get the correct medicine.

"The dark magic in that spell was so strong that your body is physically reacting against the dark magic in your system like an…allergic reaction!" Sirius smiled happy to finally find terminology that Snape would understand.

"Why weren't you affected then?" asked Snape looking a bit put out.

"I told you already," sighed Sirius, quickly checking to make sure no one was listening, "I grew up in a dark house and…"

"…And your parents would hit you with an Unforgivable all the time, right?" asked Snape.

Sirius blushed and cleared his throat, "Not right now, later!"

Snape sighed and his head hit the back of the pillow with a soft thump, "Why are you here?"

Sirius shrugged.

"You hate me, tried to kill me…"

Sirius flinched as if Snape had punched him and looked down in shame.

"I don't get it. Why are you bothering?"

"I…" Sirius sighed trying to collect the right words, "I'm trying to…do better. I want to pay back all the bad things I've done in my life even if it takes forever, you know get ride of all my debts."

"So I'm just one step in the ladder, then?" asked Snape bitterly and Sirius panicked.

"No, that isn't what I mean!" Sirius cried

"Oh forget it, Black." He glared, "I'm not telling Dumbledore, anyway."

"But Voldemort can get in anytime he wants!" protested Sirius, "You're endangering every student here!"

It's Snape's turn to shrug.

Sirius glared, "You're endangering Lily's life…" he said coldly and Snape froze, eyes wide.

"I…I didn't…" he stuttered looking terrified.

"Didn't think that as she was a MUGGLEBORN that she was in danger, huh?" asked Sirius, "Didn't think did you?"

Snape looked close to tears.

"You're going to get her killed," he whispered softly, "Make up your mind, which is more important? Lily? Or your…_master?_"

"Ah!" cried Madame Pomfrey walking back in, a smile on her face. Sirius took two steps back to let her through. He looked over at Snape to see nothing more then a blank face, "I've found your medicine, Mr. Snape. I suggest not straining yourself," she said firmly, oblivious to the past conversation, "And come to me if there are anymore problems."

"Thank you, Madame," said Snape indifferently, swallowing the potion and getting up to leave.

Sirius got up and followed, keeping a safe distance until they were two corners away from the infirmary before jogging slightly to catch up, "You never answered my question," he said indifferently.

Snape bristles like a tabby cat who's tail had been stepped on, but before he could answer a flash of blue light hit them and temporarily stunned, the two blinked their eyes in confusion.

"What the hell was that?" asked Snape as Sirius picked up the letter, he read it over and his face hardened, 'Well?" Snape pressed on.

Sirius sighed, "I'll explain at the tower, follow me." Then he grabbed Snape's arm and pulled him in the direction of the Gryffindor commons room.

"Answer the question, Black," cried Snape as he tried to keep up, "What is going on?"

…

"You're not Potter are you?" she asked taking to steps back, raising her wand in defense.

Harry nodded, "I'm not the Potter you're thinking of, anyway," he said never taking his eyes off her wand.

Lily's eyes narrowed, "Who are you then?" she asked

"I don't think I can answer that," he said simply, slipping his hand into his back pocket, grasping his wand handle.

"And why the hell not?" she asked. She seemed wary as if unsure whether to hex him or here him out.

He gulped, "It's…it's complicated."

She sneered, "Tell me or I stupefy you and drag you to the Headmaster."

Harry frowned, "Look…" he said, still keeping a firm hand on his wand, but before he could continue a flash of blue light filled the corridor and blew both occupants off their feet. Lily dropped her wand and Harry's skid out of his pocket, both where temporarily blinded and confused.

"What the hell did you do?" she cried after a few minutes of silence.

"_I_ didn't do anything!" snapped Harry, "What stupid spell did _you_ throw!"

"I didn't do it either," she glared and started looking for her wand when she noticed the letter on the ground.

"The hell is that?" asked Harry after he picked up his wand and made it over to her.

"It's addressed to me and someone named Harry, that you?" she asked.

Harry nodded, "Yeah, the names Harry Potter."

"That's what you meant by the wrong Potter," she said, opening the envelope, "You a relative of James's"

"You could say that," said Harry grabbing the letter from her and reading it.

"Well, read it out loud then," she demanded.

Harry cleared his throat and read the 4 words on the paper:

_Bring her with you._

_TRL_

"What's that mean?" she asked.

Harry shoved the paper in his pocket, "I'll tell you on the way." He said and they head off in the direction of the common rooms, Sirius forgotten from their minds.

…

After a while, the two boys had stored the rest of their stash away and had taken to simply lounging around their room, riding the high slowly. The room smelt fowl and no matter how open they through the windows, it seemed to have sunk into the pillows and clothes, effectively keeping the smell in.

"Where do you think Harry and Sirius went?" asked James

"Harry probably found Sirius somewhere and they're heading back right now," said Remus simply. He was resting in his bed, head buried under a pillow, and blankets pulled up to his waist.

"Think he'll be mad?" asked James, "Sirius?"

"Probably," said Remus with a shrug. He flipped onto his stomach and turned so he could see James, "He's been trying to get us to quiet for months after Lily explained to him the dangers of drugs."

James sighed, but didn't say anything.

The door of their dorm room opened and the two boys didn't move, expecting it to be Harry or Sirius, what they weren't expecting was a girl to come walking into the room, hollering, "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING!"

The two jumped up and turned to see a black haired girl about Remus's height, waving a wand menacingly in their direction.

"Who the hell are you?" demanded James.

"That's none of your concern, what is your concern is that Sirius, Lily, Harry, and…someone else are about to enter this room as it smells of marijuana." Her eyes narrowed and she muttered a few spells and the room's smell returned to normal. "As long as we're sending you these books there will be no drugs," she snapped.

"Sending us…are you TRL?" asked Remus.

"That is none of your concern," she said simply and turned to leave, "Consider yourselves warned," and with that she disappeared in a flash of blue light just as Sirius walked into the room…followed by…

"Snivellous!" cried James in surprise!

* * *

**Author Note:**

**YO!**

**I hoped you liked this. It was a bit long, which I'm sure, is a good thing. **

**I think I should explain the timeline. It is in the middle of their 5****th**** year, before Severus and Lily had a fall out, the Incident has passed a few months ago, and Severus has not officially joined Voldemort, he is what we would call a trainee. It is also the 70's so drugs are around and I think it makes sense that the marauders would smoke some because of all the hardships in their lives and the reason Sirius doesn't is because Lily got to him. **

**Oh and where in the world is Peter? You'll find out in the next chapter! MWAHAHAHA!**

**I also would like to inform you that I have a fiction press account called TheAngstQueen that I will use to expand my writing, but that doesn't mean I will not continue to update these stories. It is just that I need to expand my writing skills beyond the characters of my favorite authors; I need to make sure I can create my own realistic characters.**

**Also I have a website called theangstqueen (dot) webs (dot) com. It is a blogging site and I would love for you guys to become members and interact in the forums and create your own blogs.**

**I do suggest checking out my fiction press account before my website though.**

**Lots of Love**

**HM**


	10. The Calming of the Storm

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Reading the future with the marauders**

**Chapter: The Calming of the Storm  


* * *

**

**Author Note:**

**This story has more then 100 freaking reviews! That is so awesome! I never thought it would be possible, but here it is. Thank you to everyone who reviewed. It means a lot to me.**

**So because this story has gotten so many positive reviews and that this story is still in the early stages of the plot I feel the idea of 300 reviews at the end of this story very plausible. After all the crew has only read three chapters! **

**Lots of Hugs**

**HM**

**PS: They'll start reading next chapter so hold on, K?**

**

* * *

**

Peter sighed as he watch the sun dip under the great lake as the day came to a close and he wondered if any of his friends had taken notice of his absence or if they were still fretting about looking for Sirius.

Ah, Sirius...the ultimate drama queen. There was never a year he was not causing chaos. First year: only Black to get into Gryffindor. Second year: finding out Remus's secret (like he had any reason to pry). Third year: Boo-hoo my parents hit me and my brother is a Slytherin. Fourth year: becoming Animagus (something Peter is not sure was such a bad thing, becoming illegal Animagus was fun). Fifth year: the Incident.

Peter sighed, the boy craved attention. He was the only marauder who hadn't fallen for the Sirius's act. Like his parents, powerful purebloods like the Blacks, abused their heir. And then the Incident! Peter could have sworn that would have been the end of it, but only three months later James and Remus were pushing Sirius back into the fold! It made Peter sick how well Sirius had everyone trained to his little shenanigans, like puppets he played the school. Even McGonagall loved him!

Nobody ever loved Peter though he knew that. Hell, even Harry hated him and Harry didn't even now Peter, but he was willing to punch his own father to protect the mutt. And Sirius is a murderer for God's sake.

In Peters mind, James was absolutely right (like he could ever be wrong) and Sirius was guilty. After all, Sirius had already proven himself capable of murder. Poor Snivellous...Peter may hate the greasy git, but that doesn't mean he wants him dead. Sirius, on the other hand was a completely different matter. Peter wouldn't mind seeing some of his _blue blood_ spilt.

Sighing, he pulled himself away from the window and walked out of the classroom and into the abandoned hallway, very aware that he was out past curfew but not caring.

He listened for approaching footsteps but Peter doubted he would have heard some anyway. He didn't have advanced hearing like Remus.

Remus... the only reason Peter put up with the freak was because he was useful, but even then Remus grated on his nerves. Thinking he was so superior to Peter, the little half-blood freak. "_Here Peter let me help you with your homework"_ or "_Now Peter that's not how you do it, you have to do it like this". _Peter didn't need its help in anyway and he sure as hell isn't going to take it from someone who only offered out of pity.

And the only reason Peter put up with either of them was because of James.

James was the epitome of cool and if Peter was friends with him then that meant he was cool and if Peter stayed friends with James that meant he had powerful connections in the ministry, something that maybe useful later in his life, though judging by these books his future wasn't looking to bright.

So lost in thought he was that he would have walked past the Fat Lady if she hadn't hollered out for him.

"Oh, Peter!" she called in her annoyingly high-pitched voice and Peter stopped short before blushing in embarrassment.

"S…Sorry," he stuttered and then cursed himself. It was a bloody portrait after all, what was to be embarrassed of?

"It's alright dear," she said swinging open and Peter scurried through. Sighing he climbed the stairs up to his dorm and opened the door only to stop short.

Why was Snivellous 'freaking' Snape sitting on _James_'s bed laughing with _Remus_, _James_ and_ Sirius_!

_The hell?

* * *

_

Peter's face was probably one of the funniest things James had ever seen. His eyebrows had shot into his hairline; his eyes were so wide they looked like they were going to fall out, and his jaw was slack just a bit.

"H…Hey, P…Peter," James said through held back snickers and Peter jaw shut with a snap as he blushed. Sirius was silently laughing, hiding his face in James's shoulder while Snape turned his face in the other direction with his shoulders shaking. See he wasn't the only one who found it funny. Finally when James deemed that Peter had been humiliated enough, he cleared his throat.

"So what's up, Peter?" James asked.

He shook his head like a dog trying to get dry and stumbled to his bed and sat down, still obviously in shock. Not that James could blame him. When Sirius had lead Snape into the room he had about shit himself in surprise. In fact for the first ten minutes he could only stare. Thankfully Remus was quick to recover and had lead everyone to his bed were they had sat tensely waiting for me to recover and recover he did. The first words out of his mouth had been.

**…**

"The fuck is this?" James cried in obvious confusion, "Since when are you to buddies."

Sirius, a bit frightened for James only ever cursed when severely upset (or on this case shocked), looked over to Remus as if asking for help. Remus shook his head no silently sending a message "_You're on your own this time"._

Sirius sighed and gave a sheepish smile, "Bout…like…fifteen minutes."

James looked at Sirius as though he was insane and Snape felt he should probably help explain things.

"Potter," he drawled and when Potter turned to glare at him, he internally flinched, "Sirius …"

"Oh so it's Sirius now is it!" cried James and Snape groaned.

"Listen," he snapped, "Sirius here just saved my life from the Dark Lord. I suggest giving him a break!"

There was a moment of absolute silence as Remus and James gabbed at the other two in shock as Sirius shot thankful looks in the Slytherin's direction. Finally, Remus cleared his throat awkwardly breaking the spell and James growled.

"Explain," snapped James and Snape started to explain their story with Sirius jumpin in to help with a few details every now and then. At the end their was another awkward silence.

"You're going to tell Dumbledore right?" asked Remus and Sirius turned to Snape expectantly.

Snape paused a second before nodding, "I'll have to, but not now. The Slytherins will be watching me and I really don't fancy another round of Crucios."

James eyes widened in surprise before a look of sympathy passed over his face. Snape invariably reminded James of a little first year Sirius who had just been given his first howler and he felt the same need to protect this boy, not as strong as it was and still is for Sirius, but close enough.

After that the four had quickly settled into a peaceful conversation and everyone was careful to avoid some rather sensitive topics.

**…**

Peter seemed to finally get over his shock, "So you'll are friends now?" he asked and Remus shrugged.

"More like mutual acquaintances," said Remus.

"TRL says we have to read the books with him," explained Sirius, "So until the books are done we're holding a truce and take it from there."

Peter's frown did not disappear, but it was not as prominent, "And James and Sirius have worked out…their fight?"

James smiled. About halfway through their less then strained, but still not completely comfortable discussion, James (in a fear that they would not have time later) invited Sirius to step out of the room so they could talk. The conversation had gone fairly well

**…**

With a sigh, James sank into one of the blood red sofa's that surrounded the blazing fire. Judging by the light of the sun through the wide window across the room it was late afternoon and James wondered, not for the first time since TRL (or who they believed was TRL anyway) had visited them, how long had he and Remus been high.

Blinking like an owl, James turned to face Sirius who was standing by the fireplace a forced air of confidence that would have hidden the unnatural twitch in his step had it been anyone else but James.

"Won't you sit down then?" asked James gesturing to the seat next to him and cautiously Sirius obeyed and sat Indian style on the plush couch.

"So…" he mumbled softly, looking at his hands and James bit back a sigh, he should have known this wouldn't be easy.

"I'm sorry," James blurted out wanting to get it out there.

Sirius looked caught by surprise and James continued in a babble of sounds, "I'm so, so sorry! I know I was being a prat, but I just got so jealous and started saying all this shit I don't mean and I don't think you're a murderer and I know you're nothing like you family and I know I was just being horrible and I know…" he froze mid-sentence when he heard Sirius start laughing.

"What?" asked James felling a bit hurt. Here he was spilling his guts as his best friend laughed in his face.

"Nothing, I'm just so glad you're not angry at me," he said smiling happily.

James frowned, "Why the hell would I be angry at you?"

Sirius sobered up and pulled James into a hug, "You're forgiven.

After a few more minutes of talking about their _feelings_, they headed up and rejoined the other two in the dorms

**…**

James and Sirius shared a look of understanding and this time James spoke, "What fight?" and the two smiled.

* * *

Lily starred at this 'Harry' boy in disbelief, "You expect me to believe you're my son from the future and some guy…"

"Or girl," said Harry

"…Or girl," Lily amended, "Sent you and these books about your life into the past so we can change the future?"

"Well," pouted Harry, "When you say it like that it sounds rather ridiculous."

"Because it is!" cried Lily before giving the password to the Fat Lady and clamored inside with Harry right on her heel.

"Well you saw the note!" cried Harry, "And how else do you explain how much I look like James."

"Well…" Lily frowned trying to find a whole in his argument, "You don't have James's eyes…"

"No," smiled Harry, "I have yours."

Lily sighed, "Fine! Fine! I give," she pouted, "Lets go."

Harry gave a silent cheer. Ever since that blue letter had blown them away, his mum had slowly warmed up to him and had lost her cold demeanor. It was a nice change, her voice didn't seem as brittle to his ears as it did and her stance wasn't as defensive. Harry had come to the conclusion that she only showed that side to his father, something he hoped to amend once the books were over.

Together they pushed the door open and walked into the room. Harry was surprised to find James and Sirius quietly talking on James's bed. Sirius's head was in James's lap as James's fingers ran through his head, pausing every few seconds to pick out a knot before continuing.

Sirius was the first to notice them, "Hey Harry!" he jumped up to hug him and stopped in his tracks when he saw Lily, "So TRL called her here to?"

"How'd you guess?" asked Harry a bit confused.

"Cause," said as someone came out of the bathroom and into the flickering light of the candle located on Remus's nightstand, "She called me to."

"Severus!" cried Lily as she hugged her best friend as Harry stood jaw hanging open, "For real? Snape?"

"I know," laughed Remus from his bed, "Our reaction were the same."

"But we've called a truce," said James from his place on his bed, "Till the books are over, plus remember our vows?"

"Yeah," said Harry while groaning inside, great he had to deal with Pettigrew AND Snape!

"So now that we're all here," said Sirius, "Lets read."

* * *

**Author Note:**

**Well what do you think? Originally I didn't want to make Peter all evil and stuff, but…I hate him so yeah you get to hate too. Plus Regulus joined the Death Eaters in his fifth year so why not Peter and Snape (but I like Snape so…) HAHA!**

**Also the reason why Peter's section seemed to be all over the place because it is thoughts and thoughts are always crazy.**

**I'm sorry if the ending seems rushed (it is because it was rushed a bit), but I wanted to get this posted as soon as possible. It was supposed to be a Happy Thanksgiving present, but I'm two days late. SORRY!**

**Lots of Hugs**

**HM**


	11. The Dementors

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Reading the Future with The Maruders (Plus Lily and Snape)**

**Chapter: The Dementors

* * *

**

"Before we start reading," said Sirius pulling out his wand, "Lily and Snape-y here have to take the vow."

"Vow?" asked Lily.

"Yup," said Remus, "You have to vow not to hurt someone."

"It goes like this," said James, "I, James Harold Potter, solemnly swear not to physically harm a single living thing in this room until the 4 Harry Potter books are finished. Except you put your names."

Lily held out her hand, "I, Lily Rose Evens, solemnly swear not to physically harm a single living thing in this room until the 4 Harry Potter books are finished." A light blue string wrapped around her hand and disappered."

"Weird," said Harry, "That didn't happen to you guys."

A flash of blue light and a light blue envelope hovered in front of Harry. Harry sighed and plucked it from the air and read;

_It was supposed to so please retake the vows everyone (and Harry, you have to take it too)._

TRL

"All right," said Sirius holding out his and said, "I, Sirius Orion Black, solemnly swear not to physically harm a single living thing in this room until the 4 Harry Potter books are finished."

James went next, "I, James Harold Potter, solemnly swear not to physically harm a single living thing in this room until the 4 Harry Potter books are finished."

Remus copied them, "I, Remus John Lupin, solemnly swear not to physically harm a single living thing in this room until the 4 Harry Potter books are finished."

Peter sighed, "I, Peter Patrice Petergrew, solemnly swear not to physically harm a single living thing in this room until the 4 Harry Potter books are finished."

Harry lifted his hand, "I, Harold James Potter, solemnly swear not to physically harm a single living thing in this room until the 4 Harry Potter books are finished."

"Your middle name is James?" asked Sirius.

"Yeah,"

"Figures," said Lily forking over two galleons to Sirius. When Harry shot him a confused look, Sirius just smiled and said, "You don't want to know."

Finally, Snape cleared his throat, "I, Severus Scorpios Snape, solemnly swear not to physically harm a single living thing in this room until the 4 Harry Potter books are finished."

"With that done, lets start reading," smiled Sirius picking up the book.

The others nodded and sat down in a circle. It went Remus, James, Lily, Harry, Sirius, Snape, and Peter.

"I'll read," volunteered Harry and Sirius passed him the book.

**"The Dementor," **Harry read then scowled. "Great, just the chapter I wanted to read."

"We could switch if you want?" said Sirius, but Harry shook his head, "It's okay."

**Tom woke Harry the next morning with his usual toothless grin and a cup of tea. **

"He really is a nice guy," said Remus, "Once you get by his appearance." The other Marauders and Snape nodded. Lily just shrugged seeing as she had never really meet the man

**Harry got dressed and was just persuading a disgruntled Hedwig to get back into her cage when Ron banged his way into the room, pulling a sweatshirt over his head and looking irritable.**

"**The sooner we get on the train, the better," he said. "At least I can get away from Percy at Hogwarts. Now he's accusing me of dripping tea on his photo of Penelope Clearwater. **

"Still shocked that he has a girlfriend," joked James and Sirius pouted.

"Leave him ALONE!"

**You know," Ron grimaced, "his girlfriend. She's hidden her face under the frame because her nose has gone all blotchy…"**

**"I've got something to tell you," Harry began, but they were interrupted by Fred and George, who had looked in to congratulate Ron on infuriating Percy again.**

"You're never going to get any peace, are you?" asked Snape

Harry smiled, "Nope" popping the 'p'.

**They headed down to breakfast, where Mr. Weasley was reading the front page of the Daily Prophet with a furrowed brow and Mrs. Weasley was telling Hermione and Ginny about a love potion she'd made as a young girl. All three of them were rather giggly.**

Sirius and Remus rolled their eyes and smiled, "Girls."

"Hey," cried Lily, "Not all of us are like that."

"Lily, we've been over this," said Sirius calmly, "You are an exception, not a rule."

"Whatever…"

"**What were you saying?" Ron asked Harry as they sat down.**

"**Later," Harry muttered as Percy stormed in.**

**Harry had no chance to speak to Ron or Hermione in the chaos of leaving; they were too busy heaving all their trunks down the Leaky Cauldron's narrow staircase and piling them up near the door, with Hedwig and Hermes, Percy's screech owl, perched on top in their cages. A small wickerwork basket stood beside the heap of trunks, spitting loudly.**

"Evil."

"Don't. Do. It. Peter," said Harry before going back to the reading.

"**It's all right, Crookshanks," Hermione cooed through the wickerwork. "I'll let you out on the train."**

"**You won't," snapped Ron. "What about poor Scabbers, eh?"**

"The poor rat isn't going to get any rest with that thing always around." Said Peter pouting.

Harry sighed in annoyance.

"Cat's chase rats," said Lily, "Besides it makes more sense to put Scabbers in a cage then Crookshanks."

"Yeah, but Scabbers was there first," defended Peter

Lily opened her mouth to argue when Harry snapped, "Guys, shhhhhh," They fell silent, blushing.

**He pointed at his chest, where a large lump indicated that Scabbers was curled up in his pocket.**

**Mr. Weasley, who had been outside waiting for the Ministry cars, stuck his head inside.**

"**They're here," he said. "Harry, come on."**

**Mr. Weasley marched Harry across the short stretch of pavement toward the first of two old-fashioned dark green cars, each of which was driven by a furtive-looking wizard wearing a suit of emerald velvet.**

"**In you get, Harry," said Mr. Weasley, glancing up and down the crowded street.**

"He isn't very discrete is he?" asked Severus

"No," said Sirius shaking his head.

**Harry got into the back of the car and was shortly joined by Hermione, Ron, and, to Ron's disgust, Percy, **

Sirius sighed, he knew how Percy felt, always the odd ball of the family. And it wasn't likely that he missed the looks of disgust like Sirius wished he could.

**The journey to King's Cross was very uneventful compared with Harry's trip on the Knight Bus. **

"I'd be worried if it was," snorted Lily

**The Ministry of Magic cars seemed almost ordinary. Though Harry noticed that they could slide through gaps that Uncle Vernon's new company car certainly couldn't have managed. **

"Can all magic cars do that?" asked Harry.

"What?" asked Lily.

'Squeeze through tight spaces."

"I think so."

"Cool."

**They reached King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare; the Ministry drivers found them trolleys, unloaded their trunks, touched their hats in salute to Mr. Weasley, and drove away, somehow managing to jump to the head of an unmoving line at the traffic lights.**

**Mr. Weasley kept close to Harry's elbow all the way into the station.**

"**Right then," he said, glancing around them. "Let's do this in pairs, as there are so many of us. I'll go through first with Harry."**

Severus rolled his eyes while James and Sirius shared a look. Some people were simply not made for sneaking about and Arthur Weasley was one of them.

**Mr. Weasley strolled toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten, pushing Harry's trolley and apparently very interested in the Intercity 125 that had just arrived at platform nine. With a meaningful look at Harry, he leaned casually against the barrier. Harry imitated him.**

"It's amazing how Muggles never realize that people are disappearing like that." said Remus.

"Not very observant really," added James

Sirius shook his head, "If people were as observant as they should be then there wouldn't be such a thing as magic." (1)

"What's that mean?" asked Lily as everyone gave Sirius a confused look.

Sirius smiled mysteriously and gestured for Harry to keep reading.

**In a moment, they had fallen sideways through the solid metal onto platform nine and three-quarters and looked up to see the Hogwarts Express, a scarlet steam engine, puffing smoke over a platform packed with witches and wizards seeing their children onto the train.**

"I love the train rides," smiled James

Sirius nodded, "Always a perfect place to plan a bit of mischief."

"And chaos." Added Remus

"And how not to get caught," finished Peter

Lily, Harry, and Severus rolled their eyes.

**Percy and Ginny suddenly appeared behind Harry. They were panting and had apparently taken the barrier at a run.**

"**Ah, there's Penelope!" said Percy, smoothing his hair and going pink again. Ginny caught Harry's eye, and they both turned away to hide their laughter**

"10 gallons that pup and Ginny get hitched," said Sirius

"She's my best friends little sister!" protested Harry.

Peter held out his hand, "You're on."

"Hey!" cried Harry

"Your lose Pete," said Remus

"Remus, stop that, I am not in love with her," Harry said

'And why are you so sure that Harry's going to marry Ginny?" asked James

"I can hear myself!" Lily laughed at her son's expense

"All Potters marry red heads," said Remus

Lily blushed while James nodded.

**As Percy strode over to a girl with long, curly hair, walking with his chest thrown out so that she couldn't miss his shiny badge.**

**Once the remaining Weasleys and Hermione had joined them, Harry and Mr. Weasley led the way to the end of the train, past packed compartments, to a carriage that looked quite empty. They loaded the trunks onto it, stowed Hedwig and Crookshanks in the luggage rack, then went back outside to say goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.**

**Mrs. Weasley kissed all her children, then Hermione, and finally Harry. He was embarrassed, but really quite pleased, when she gave him an extra hug.**

"I really do appreciate that," smiled Lily

"**Do take care, won't you Harry?" she said as she straightened up, her eyes oddly bright. Then she opened her enormous handbag and said, "I've made you all sandwiches. Here you are, Ron… no, they're not corned beef… Fred? Where's Fred? Here you are dear…"**

"**Harry," said Mr. Weasley quietly, "come over here for a moment."**

"He's going to tell him," said Peter

"Good," said James, "I KNOW there is no danger, but you shouldn't keep life threatening secrets from people."

_Seems Sirius got his beliefs from my father…_mused Harry thinking back to all the times Sirius had tried to get him information.

**He jerked his head towards a pillar, and Harry followed him behind it, leaving the others crowded around Mrs. Weasley.**

"**There's something I've got to tell you before you leave —" said Mr. Weasley in a tense voice.**

"**It's all right, Mr. Weasley," said Harry, "I already know."**

"That must have come as a bit of a shock," said Severus

"You think," joked Peter

"**You know? How could you know?"**

"**I — er — I heard you and Mrs. Wesley talking last night. I couldn't help hearing," Harry added quickly. "Sorry —"**

"**That's not the way I'd have chosen for you to find out," said Mr. Weasley looking anxious...**

"**No — honestly it's okay. This way, you haven't broken your word to Fudge and I know what's going on."**

"**Harry, you must be scared —"**

"**I'm not," said Harry sincerely.**

"You should always be cautious," scowled Remus.

**"Really," he added, because Mr. Weasley was looking disbelieving. "I'm not trying to be a hero, but seriously, Sirius Black can't be worse than Lord Voldemort, can he?"**

"I don't know," said Peter, "Sirius can be pretty nasty."

James snorted, "You mean like the time we got him up at 4 to prank the Slytherins and he transfigured our heads to look like other animals."

Remus shivered, "He made me a penguin. It was horrible.'

Everyone, but the Marauders started laughing, Sirius was grinning evilly and the other three where shivering in fear.

**Mr. Weasley flinched at the sound of the name, but overlooked it.**

"It's just a name!" complained Harry when Snape, Peter, and Lily did the same.

"**Harry, I knew you were, well, made of stronger stuff than Fudge seems to think, and I'm obviously pleased that you're not scared, but —"**

"**Arthur!" called Mrs. Weasley, who was now shepherding the rest onto the train. "Arthur, what are you doing? It's about to go!"**

"**He's coming Molly!" said Mr. Weasley, but he turned back to Harry and kept talking in a lower and more hurried voice, "Listen, I want you to give me your word —"**

"— **that I'll be a good boy and stay in the castle?" said Harry gloomily.**

"**Not entirely," said Mr. Weasley, who looked more serious than Harry had ever seen him. "Harry, swear to me you won't go looking for Black."**

"What?" asked Sirius

Harry groaned at the thought of when the people found out about why Sirius was sent to prison. This wasn't going to end well.

**Harry stared, "What!"**

"You have no idea, do you," James looked incredibly at his son; how could his son grow up not knowing about Sirius (and most likely Remus and Peter).

"What you're talking about?" Harry said confused.

"Who Sirius is," James said. "Or Remus or Peter"

"No," Harry said sadly. "I didn't really know anything about you or your past until my third year and that's only because Sirius escaped."

Sirius had a pained look on his face and Severus patted him on the shoulder in a friendly manner.

"Well that isn't going to happen now, is it?" asked Remus, "We're going to change it all so lighten up."

The other three nodded and Lily smiled, their friendship was so close.

**There was a loud whistle. Guards were walking along the train, slamming all the doors shut.**

**"Promise me, Harry," said Mr. Weasley, talking more quickly still, "that whatever happens —"**

"**Why would I go looking for someone I know wants to kill me?" said Harry blankly.**

"Good question."

"**Swear to me that whatever you might hear —"**

"**Arthur, quickly!" cried Mrs. Weasley.**

**Steam was billowing from the train it had started to move. Harry ran to the compartment door and Ron threw it open and stood back to let him on. They leaned out of the window and waved at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley until the train turned a corner and blocked them from view.**

"**I need to talk to you in private," Harry muttered to Ron and Hermione as the train picked up speed.**

"**Go away, Ginny," said Ron.**

"Oh that was nice," said Lily huffily

"**Oh, that's nice," said Ginny huffily, and she stalked off.**

Sirius looked at Peter and mouthed, "Told you so."

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione set off down the corridor, looking for an empty compartment, but all were full except for the one at the very end of the train.**

**This had only one occupant, a man sitting fast asleep next to the window. **

"I've never seen an adult before," said Lily, "Wonder why he's here."

Harry smiled mysteriously, "You'll see."

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione checked on the threshold. The Hogwarts Express was usually reserved for students and they had never seen an adult there before, except for the witch who pushed the food cart.**

"Hmmmm," said Sirius with a dreamy smile, "Food."

Everyone else just laughed.

"You are so like Ron, Sirius, that it isn't funny," laughed Harry

**The stranger was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes that had been darned in several places. He looked ill and exhausted. Though quite young, his light brown hair was flecked with gray.**

"Poor thing doesn't sound to good," frowned Lily

"**Who d' you reckon he is?" Ron hissed as they sat down and slid the door shut, taking the seats farthest away from the window.**

"**Professor R. J. Lupin." whispered Hermione at once.**

There was silence in the room for a good few minutes (except for Harry's snickers at the shocked look on everyone's faces).

Remus smiled happily, "I always wanted to teach."

Sirius jumped up and grabbed Remus by the elbow and James joined on the other end and they span their companion around singing, "He got's the job!" "He's got's the job!" at the top of their lungs.

They did this for a few minutes before the three of them collapsed as a group on the ground, laughing. Sirius settled himself in between James and Remus so that the seating order was now went Remus, Sirius, James, Lily, Harry, Snape, and Peter

"You don't sound to good though," frowned Lily.

"My illness must have worsened." Said Remus

**"How'd you know that?"**

"**It's on his case," she replied, pointing at the luggage rack over the man's head, where there was a small, battered case held together with a large quantity of neatly knotted string. The name Professor R. J. Lupin was stamped across one corner in peeling letters.**

Sirius and James frowned at that… how their friend must have suffered without them.

"**Wonder what he teaches?" said Ron, frowning at Professor Lupin's pallid profile.**

**"That's obvious," whispered Hermione. "There's only one vacancy, isn't there? Defense Against the Dark Arts."**

"It's my best subject too," Remus said.

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione had already had two Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, both of whom had lasted only one year. There were rumors that the job was jinxed.**

"It is jinxed; how else would you explain that there hasn't be a teacher two years in a role in over twenty years," Peter said.

"I hope you don't get hurt," said Sirius with a frown.

"Me neither," said Remus

"**Well, I hope he's up to it," said Ron doubtfully. "He looks like one good hex would finish him off, doesn't he?**

"I don't like the sound of that," Lily said worried.

James leaned close to Sirius and Remus, "Think it's close to the full moon?"

"Probably"

Sirius looked over and starred at Remus and then looked over at James. They shared a sad smile before looking back at Harry who was still reading. Poor Remus.

"**Anyway…" he turned to Harry, "What were you going to tell us?"**

**Harry explained all about Mr. and Mrs. Wesley's argument and the warning Mr. Weasley had just given him. When he'd finished, Ron looked thunderstruck, and Hermione had her hands over her mouth. **

"Nice to see someone cautious over your health."

"I am mum!"

Lily blushed at being called 'Mum'.

**She finally lowered them to say, "Sirius Black escaped to come after you? Oh, Harry… you'll have to be really, really careful. Don't go looking for trouble, Harry…"**

Peter frowned, "Reminds me of Remus."

James smiled, "It seems you've got your own set of Marauders, eh?"

Harry smirked, "Professor McGonagall never will get an ounce of rest."

**"I don't go looking for trouble," said Harry, nettled. "Trouble usually finds me."**

Everyone laughed.

"You do kind of look for it though," said Severus, "I mean no one asked you to investigate."

"But where's the fun in that," James said.

"James," Lily said exasperated.

"**How thick would Harry have to be, to go looking for a nutter who wants to kill him?" said Ron shakily.**

"Funny enough," Sirius said with a smile, "Remus is the only one to call me insane."

"Really?" asked Lily, "Cause this will probably be the only time I agree with Ron and say your completely nuts."

Sirius rolled his eyes, "Thanks Petal."

"Quite calling me that!"

"No."

**They were taking the news worse than Harry had expected. Both Ron and Hermione seemed to be much more frightened of Black than he was.**

"**No one knows how he got out of Azkaban," said Ron uncomfortably. "No one's ever done it before. And he was a top-security prisoner too."**

"I hear the top-security prisoners go mad within weeks," said Peter tactlessly.

Sirius started to shiver in fear. The thought of being around Dementors for twelve years…

James frowned and pulled Sirius into a brotherly hug. Peter could be so tactless.

Remus glared at Peter and Peter caught the glare and faked the look of shame. What right did that monster have to correct him?

"**But they'll catch him, won't they?" said Hermione earnestly. "I mean, they've got all the Muggles looking out for him too…"**

"**What's that noise?" said Ron suddenly.**

**A faint, tinny sort of whistle was coming from somewhere. They looked all around the compartment.**

"**It's coming from your trunk, Harry," said Ron, standing up and reaching into the luggage rack. A moment later he had pulled the Pocket Sneakoscope out from between Harry's robes. **

Lily sighed, "Those things are so annoying."

"You have one?" asked James.

"Yeah," she was going to continue when Harry put the book down with a thud.

"Guys, can we not go off on a tangent every time something is said?"

"Sorry."

**It was spinning very fast in the palm of Ron's hand and glowing brilliantly.**

"Seems someone is spying," teased Peter and Remus snapped harsher then he intended, "Oh shut up."

Harry glared at them and they shut up.

"**Is that a Sneakoscope?" said Hermione interestedly, standing up for a better look.**

"**Yeah… mind you, it's a very cheap one," Ron said. "It went haywire just as I was tying it to Errol's leg to send it to Harry."**

"**Were you doing anything untrustworthy at the time?" said Hermione shrewdly.**

"**No! Well… I wasn't supposed to be using Errol. **

Severus rolled his eyes, not realizing Remus was doing the same thing.

**You know he's not really up to long journeys… but how else was I supposed to get Harry's present to him?"**

"**Stick it back in the trunk," Harry advised as the Sneakoscope whistled piercingly, "or it'll wake him up."**

"I hope you're all right," said Lily worriedly

"I give up!" cried Harry before going back to the book. He was now planning on reading over everyone.

**He nodded toward Professor Lupin. Ron stuffed the Sneakoscope into a particularly horrible pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks,**

James growled, "Can't even by him socks, the son of a bitch. I should hex him so bad…"

Lily wrinkled her nose in disgust.

**Which deadened the sound, then closed the lid of the trunk on it.**

**"We could get it checked in Hogsmeade," **

"Oh brother."

**said Ron, sitting back down. **"**They sell that sort of thing in Dervish and Banges, magical instruments and stuff. Fred and George told me."**

**"Do you know much about Hogsmeade?" asked Hermione keenly. "I've read it's the only entirely non-Muggle settlement in Britain —"**

"**Yeah, I think it is," said Ron in an offhand sort of way. "but that's not why I want to go. I just want to get inside Honeydukes!"**

"**What's that?" said Hermione.**

"God," said Sirius and James "does the girl live under a rock or what?" They looked at each other and burst out laughing. Remus smiled glad to see the tension from before was gone.

"She's a muggleborn."

"Yeah and she must have bought candy off the trolly at one point." Said Remus

Lily pouted and stuck her tongue out at him.

"**It's this sweetshop," said Ron, a dreamy look coming over his face, "where they've got everything… Pepper Imps — they make you smoke at the mouth — and great fat Chocoballs full of strawberry mousse and clotted cream, and really excellent sugar quills, which you can suck in class and just look like you're thinking what to write next–"**

"Those are very usfull," said Sirius and James nodded.

Lily scowled, "You too should pay attention more in class."

"But that's what we have Remus for," joked Sirius.

"HEY!"

"**But Hogsmeade's a very interesting place, isn't it?" Hermione pressed on eagerly. "In Sites of Historical Sorcery it says the inn was the headquarters for the 1612 goblin rebellion, and the Shrieking Shack's supposed to be the most severely haunted building in Britain —"**

Remus snorted,_ uh huh haunted…_

"– **and massive sherbet balls that make you levitate a few inches off the ground while you're sucking them," said Ron, who was plainly not listening to a word Hermione was saying.**

**Hermione looked around at Harry.**

"Someone finally noticed."

"Be nice, Petal," said Sirius, "He was talking about food."

"Boys!"

"**Won't it be nice to get out of school for a bit and explore Hogsmeade?"**

"'**Spect it will," said Harry heavily. "You'll have to tell me when you've found out."**

"**What d'you mean?" said Ron.**

"**I can't go. The Dursleys didn't sign my permission form, and Fudge wouldn't either."**

"Gits," snarled Sirius

"I swear next time I see Petunia, I'll hex her to Thursday and back."

"I'll help," said everyone (but Harry).

**Ron looked horrified.**

"It is horrible."

**"You're not allowed to come? But — no way — McGonagall or someone will give you permission —"**

**Harry gave a hollow laugh. Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor house, was very strict.**

"Understatement of the century," said James. Peter nodded in agreement.

"– **or we can ask Fred and George, they know every secret passage out of the castle —"**

"I bet not as many as we do," said Peter smugly.

Sirius leaned over to James, "Think they found the…"

"Maybe?"

"**Ron!" said Hermione sharply. "I don't think Harry should be sneaking out of the school with Black on the loose —"**

"**Yeah, I expect that's what McGonagall will say when I ask of permission," said Harry bitterly.**

"Why does he know Minnie so well?" asked Sirius

"James's genes." Whined Lily

"HEY!"

"**But if we're with him," said Ron spiritedly to Hermione. "Black wouldn't dare —"**

"**Oh, Ron, don't talk rubbish," snapped Hermione. "Black's already murdered a whole bunch of people in the middle of a crowded street,**

Sirius sighed and Remus glared at the book. It wasn't fair that Sirius had to suffer so much? Hadn't he suffered enough thanks to his parents?

"**Do you really think he's going to worry about attacking Harry just because we're there?" She was fumbling with the straps of Crookshanks's basket as she spoke.**

"Don't let the thing out!" cried Peter

"Not now Lily." cried James cutting her off.

**"Don't let that thing out!" Ron said, but too late; Crookshanks leapt lightly from the basket, stretched, yawned, and sprang onto Ron's knees; the lump in Ron's pocket trembled and he shoved Crookshanks angrily away.**

"Don't hurt him."

"Lily," said James calmly, "I'm no cat hater, but he's just trying to protect his pet."

Lily bit her bottom lip and glared at the book, "I hate it when you make sense."

"**Get out of it!"**

"**Ron, don't!" said Hermione angrily.**

**Ron was about to answer back when Professor Lupin stirred. They watched him apprehensively, but he simply turned his head the other way, mouth slightly open, and slept on.**

"You are soooo awake," teased Sirius

**The Hogwarts Express moved steadily north and the scenery outside the window became wilder and darker while the clouds overhead thickened overhead. **

"I never really pay attention to the scenery." Said James

"Me either"

**People were chasing backwards and forwards past the door of their compartment. Crookshanks had now settled in an empty seat, his squashed face turned towards Ron, his yellow eyes on Ron's top pocket.**

Peter scowled.

**At one o'clock the plump witch with the food cart arrived at the compartment door.**

"**D'you think we should wake him up?" Ron asked awkwardly, nodding towards Professor Lupin. "He looks like he could do with some food."**

Sirius sighed, _poor Remus._

**Hermione approached Professor Lupin cautiously.**

"**Er — Professor?" she said. "Excuse me — Professor?"**

**He didn't move.**

"**Don't worry, dear," said the witch, as she handed a large stack of cauldron cakes. "If he's hungry when he wakes, I'll be up front with the driver."**

"**I suppose he is asleep?" said Ron quietly, as the witch slid the compartment door closed. "I mean — he hasn't died, has he?"**

Severus raised an eyebrow in question and Lily started to giggle.

"**No, no, he's breathing," whispered Hermione, taking the cauldron cake Harry passed her.**

**He might not be very good company,**

"That isn't true," said Sirius pouting, "Remmy's a great person to hang out with... except when you make him mad…I would know."

Severus stared at the boy as everyone burst out laughing.

"Yeah," said James thoughtfully, "You are the one Moons puts in the infirmary the most."

"Remember the time when he chopped off his hair and dies it blond?" asked Peter

This bought on a fresh round of giggles while Sirius pouted, "I looked like Malfoy!"

**But Professor Lupin's presence in their compartment had its uses. Mid-afternoon, just as it had started to rain, blurring the rolling hills outside the window, they heard footsteps outside in the corridor again, and their three least favorite people appeared at the door: Draco Malfoy, flanked by his cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.**

"Ugh, Malfoy," sneered lily

"I can't believe Lucius has gotten so bad," pouted Sirius, "We use to the best of friends."

"Really," said James.

"Yeah, but…it was back when I was about seven. Before the whole Blood thing completely ruined my life," sighed Sirius

Sirisu got a thoughtful look and asked Severus, "When Voldy was here, that Death Eater?"

"Yes that was Lucius." Said Severus.

Sirius sighed in disgust. How could everything have become so fucked up?

"Wait, when was Voldemort here?" asked Harry

"He was torturing Severus when I found him," explained Sirius.

"Why?" asked Lily concerned.

Severus got a pained look on his face, "Can we talk about this later?"

Harry nodded and started reading.

**Draco Malfoy and Harry had been enemies ever since they had met on their very first journey to Hogwarts. Malfoy, who had a pale, pointed, sneering face, was in Slytherin house; he played Seeker on the Slytherin Quidditch team, **

"Bribed himself onto the team, I bet," snapped Lily

"How do you know?" asked Harry surprised.

"Did the same thing here." Said Lily

**The same position that Harry played on the Gryffindor team. Crabbe and Goyle seemed to exist to do Malfoy's bidding. They were both wide and muscley; Crabbe was taller, with a pudding-bowl haircut and a very thick neck; Goyle had short, bristly hair and long, gorilla arms.**

"Copies of their father." Snorted Peter

"**Well, look who it is," said Malfoy in his usual lazy drawl, pulling open the compartment door. "Potty and the Weasel."**

"Oh that's clever." Mocked James

**Crabbe and Goyle chuckled trollishly.**

"**I heard your father finally got his hands on some gold this summer, Weasley," said Malfoy. "Did your mother die of shock?"**

"Okay," pouts Severus, "Even his father wasn't that bad."

**Ron stood up so quickly he knocked Crookshanks's basket to the floor. Professor Lupin gave a snort.**

"Are you sure you're not awake," Lily teased this time.

"I was just thinking that myself," Remus laughed.

"**Who's that?" said Malfoy, taking an automatic step backward as he spotted Lupin.**

"**New teacher," **

"That'll shut him up,"

**said Harry, who got to his feet, too, in case he needed to hold Ron back. "What were you saying, Malfoy?"**

James snorted and Sirius snickered.

**Malfoy's pale eyes narrowed; he wasn't fool enough to pick a fight right under a teacher's nose.**

"**C'mon," he muttered resentfully to Crabbe and Goyle, and they disappeared.**

**Harry and Ron sat down again, Ron massaging his knuckles.**

"**I'm not going to take any crap from Malfoy this year," he said angrily. "I mean it. If he makes one more crack about my family, I'm going to get hold of his head and —"**

**Ron made a violent gesture in midair.**

"I hope you smack that git really good," Sirius said.

Harry started laughing thinking of Hermione.

"I like the sound of that," Sirius beam. "What happened?"

"You'll see," Harry said proudly.

"**Ron," hissed Hermione, pointing at Professor Lupin, "be careful…"**

**But Professor Lupin was still fast asleep.**

**The rain thickened as the train sped yet farther north; the windows were now a solid, shimmering gray, which gradually darkened until lanterns flickered into life all along the corridors and over the luggage racks. The train rattled, the rain hammered, the wind roared, but still, Professor Lupin slept.**

"**We must be nearly there," said Ron, leaning forward to look past Professor Lupin at the now completely black window.**

**The words had hardly left him when the train started to slow down.**

"No way it's too soon."

"**Great," said Ron, getting up and walking carefully past Professor Lupin to try and see outside. "I'm starving. I want to get to the feast…"**

"**We can't be there yet," said Hermione, checking her watch.**

"Why are they stopping?" Sirius asked.

"**So why're we stopping?"**

James laughed, "Seems you're a lot like Ron."

"And Harry," teased Sirius

James couldn't say anything so just stuck his tongue out.

**The train was getting slower and slower. As the noise of the pistons fell away, the wind and rain sounded louder than ever against the windows.**

**Harry, who was nearest the door, got up to look into the corridor. All along the carriage, heads were sticking curiously out of their compartments.**

**The train came to a stop with a jolt, and distant thuds and bangs told them that luggage had fallen out of the racks. Then, without warning, all the lamps went out and they were plunged into total darkness.**

"Dementors," Lily gasped remembering the chapter title.

"Oh hell no!" cried James.

"Sorry," sighed Sirius.

"It isn't your fault," said Severus.

"He's right," agreed Remus.

Peter said nothing.

"**What's going on?" said Ron's voice from behind Harry.**

"**Ouch!" gasped Hermione. "Ron, that was my foot!"**

**Harry felt his way back to his seat.**

**"D'you think we've broken down?"**

"Can't it's a _magic_ train." said Remus

"**Dunno…"**

**There was a squeaking sound, and Harry saw the dim black outline of Ron, wiping a patch clean on the window and peering out.**

"**There's something moving out there," Ron said. "I think people are coming aboard…"**

"Ohhhh…. This won't end well…"

**The compartment door suddenly opened and someone fell painfully over Harry's legs.**

"AHHHHHHHHH!" screamed Harry making everyone jump in their seats.

Sirius glared at his godson, "Not funny."

Harry shook his head laughing, "Yeah, it kind of was."

"**Sorry! D'you know what's going on? Ouch! Sorry —"**

**"Hullo, Neville," said Harry, feeling around in the dark and pulling Neville up by his cloak.**

James frowned, "Not the best time to be wandering."

"**Harry? Is that you? What's happening?"**

"**No idea! Sit down —"**

**There was a loud hissing and a yelp of pain; Neville had tried to sit on Crookshanks.**

Peter smirked and Lily scowled. James groaned.

"**I'm going to go and ask the driver what's going on," came Hermione's voice. Harry felt her pass him, heard the door slide open again, and then a thud and two loud squeals of pain.**

"I suppose it really isn't a good time to go wondering around," Lily said.

"No duh,"

"**Who's that?"**

"**Who's that?"**

"**Ginny?"**

"**Hermione?"**

"**What are you doing?"**

"**I was looking for Ron —"**

"No she was looking for Harry."

"I won't admit I lost just yet."

"**Come in and sit down —"**

"**Not here!" said Harry hurriedly. "I'm here!"**

"**Ouch!" said Neville.**

"**Quiet!" said a hoarse voice suddenly.**

**Professor Lupin appeared to have woken up at last.**

"Yeah Professor Moony is awake," Sirius and James cheered.

**Harry could hear movements in his corner.**

**None of them spoke.**

**There was a soft, crackling noise, and a shivering light filled the compartment. Professor Lupin appeared to be holding a handful of flames.**

"Can…"

"No," said Remus, "And we're not using it in a prank."

James eyes light up and Lily sighed, "Never give a prankster an idea."

**They illuminated his tired, gray face, but his eyes looked alert and wary.**

"Tired and gray?" asked Remus, "Thanks Harry!"

"Sorry!"

"**Stay where you are." he said in the same hoarse voice, and he got slowly to his feet with his handful of fire held out in front of him.**

**But the door slid slowly open before Lupin could reach it.**

"Creepy."

"Shhhhh."

"Sorry Harry."

**Standing in the doorway, illuminated by the shivering flames in Lupin's hand, was a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. Harry's eyes darted downward, and what he saw made his stomach contract. There was a hand protruding from the cloak and it was glistening, grayish, slimy-looking, and scabbed, like something dead that had decayed in water…**

**But it was visible only for a split second. As though the creature beneath the cloak sensed Harry's gaze, the hand was suddenly withdrawn into the folds of its black cloak.**

**And then the thing beneath the hood, whatever it was, drew a long, slow, rattling breath, as though it were trying to suck something more than air from its surroundings.**

"Did you have to think so graphically pup?" Sirius said shivering (as was everyone else); he'll have to spend twelve years with these creatures. Remus pulled Sirius in for a hug. It just wasn't fair. Sirius was a man who had the world spread at his feet only for it to be ripped away so violently.

**An intense cold swept over them all. Harry felt his own breath catch in his chest. The cold went deeper than his skin. It was inside his chest, it was inside his very heart…**

**Harry's eyes rolled up into his head. He couldn't see. He was drowning in cold. There was a rushing in his ears as though of water. He was being dragged downward, the roaring growing louder…**

**And then, from far away, he heard screaming, terrible, terrified, pleading screams. He wanted to help whoever it was, he tried to move his arms, but couldn't… a thick white fog was swirling around him, inside him —**

Lily's face went white. Her poor baby

"**Harry! Harry! Are you all right?"**

**Someone was slapping his face.**

"That is a nice way to wake someone up." Snorted James trying to ease the tension…and failing

**"W-what?"**

**Harry opened his eyes; there were lanterns above him, and the floor was shaking — the Hogwarts Express was moving again and the lights had come back on. He seemed to have slid out of his seat onto the floor. Ron and Hermione were kneeling next to him, and above them he could see Neville and Professor Lupin watching. **

"Just watching?" asked James, "Go comfort him."

"He doesn't know me or who I was to you," said Remus, "It'd be weird if I went mother hen on him."

**Harry felt very sick; when he put up his hand to push his glasses back on, he felt cold sweat on his face.**

**Ron and Hermione heaved him back onto his seat.**

"**Are you okay?" Ron asked nervously.**

"**Yeah," said Harry, looking quickly toward the door. The hooded creature had vanished. "What happened? Where's that — that thing? Who screamed?"**

"**No one screamed," said Ron, more nervously still.**

"I am not crazy!" cried Harry

"No you just have issues."

"Exac… HEY, Dad!" he whined

James just smiled.

**Harry looked around the bright compartment. Ginny and Neville looked back at him, both very pale.**

**"But I heard screaming —"**

**A loud snap made them all jump. Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces.**

"(Cough) chocoholic (cough)."

"Shut up, Peter."

**"Here," he said to Harry, handing him a particularly large piece. "Eat it. It'll help."**

**Harry took the chocolate but didn't eat it.**

"**What was that thing?" he asked Lupin.**

"**A Dementor," said Lupin, who was now gi`ving chocolate to everyone else. "One of the Dementors of Azkaban."**

**Everyone stared at him. **

"One heck of a first impression, heh?" said Peter

"Heck?"

Peter just rolled his eyes.

**Professor Lupin crumpled up the empty chocolate wrapper and put it in his pocket.**

"**Eat," he repeated. "It'll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me…"**

"Remus, you think chocolate can heal anything." Teased Peter

Remus pouted, "But. It. can…"

**He strolled past Harry and disappeared into the corridor.**

"**Are you sure you're okay, Harry?" said Hermione, watching Harry anxiously.**

"**I don't get it… what happened?" said Harry, wiping more sweat off his face.**

"**Well — that thing — the Dementor — stood there and looked around (I mean, I think it did, I couldn't see its face) — and you — you —"**

"**I thought you were having a fit or something," said Ron, who still looked scared. "You went sort of rigid and fell out of your seat and started twitching —"**

"**And Professor Lupin stepped over you, and walked toward the Dementor, and pulled out his wand," said Hermione, "and he said, 'None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go.' But the Dementor didn't move, so Lupin muttered something, and a silvery thing shot out of his wand at it, and it turned around and sort of glided away…"**

"You think I did what they said I did?" Sirius said turning towards his friend, shocked (a look that was mirrored in Remus' face).

"It certainly seems like it," Remus said sadly, what could Sirius have done that would have shaken his confidence in him?

It looked like Sirius was thinking the same thing when he suddenly gasped and looked at his best mate.

"What?" James said uncomfortably; seeing as Sirius looked like he was on the verge of crying.

"It's the only... that explains..." Sirius said stumbling over his words.

"Just say it Sirius," Lily said putting her hand on his, which he pulled away (not being able to stand getting comforted at the moment).

"I betrayed you," Sirius said. "It's the only reasons that Remus would turn his back on me. If I betrayed you."

"I was thinking the same thing," Remus said gravely, his eyes closed and his hand pinching his nose.

"I can't believe that you would think I'd ever do that?" Sirius said harshly.

"The evidence must have been compelling," Remus said bitterly. He was ashamed of his future self for giving up on his friend.

"I would never..." Sirius started getting rather upset.

"Sirius you have to understand that things were going really badly then," Harry said before he could stop himself.

"What do you mean?" Sirius turned on Harry.

However, Harry was unable to answer, how could he explain this to them. He shook his head, "Everything was going badly, there was a suspected spy close to the Potters, and after everything was said and done all the evidence _seemed_ to be pointing at you."

"I don't care about the evidence," Sirius said still glaring at Remus who was looking quite pale at to moment. "He should've known."

"It was on a full moon, he had just lost two of the most important people in his life, all at the hands of another of his best friend," Harry said softly trying to keep the two from fighting. Harry already knew how much Remus was already hurting and he must be dying inside at this point "Besides, by the time that he realized what was going on you were already in Azkaban."

"It took him that long to do something, eh?" Sirius said bitterly.

"It was only two days," Harry, he wasn't sure if he should bring this up, but still….

"Two days..." Sirius gasped in disbelief.

"That's impossible, it takes at least five days to process a criminal," Severus said.

"They throw him to Azkaban without a trail," Harry said darkly.

"What?" James, Lily, Peter (in confusion, can they do that?) and Remus (though he said it weakly still being upset with his future self) shouted. "They can't do that."

"Did they do that to anyone else?" Severus asked darkly. He didn't want to know the answer to that but either one would very bad.

"No," Harry said sadly.

"I'm sorry," Remus said breaking the tense silence that had filled the room.

Sirius glared at him until he noticed how horrible his friend looked, beating himself up over this and said, "It's all right mate, I forgive you."

"Really," Remus said hopefully.

"There's no point in being mad at you," Sirius said with a shrug. "I would have probably acted the same if you were the one that... you know, did that."

"Thanks."

"**It was horrible," said Neville, in a higher voice than usual. "Did you feel how cold it got when it came in?"**

**"I felt weird," said Ron, shifting his shoulders uncomfortably. "Like I'd never be cheerful again…"**

Sirius sighed; He really didn't want to think about the hell he was going to go through in Azkaban.

**Ginny, who was huddled in her corner looking nearly as bad as Harry felt, gave a small sob; Hermione went over and put a comforting arm around her.**

"She must have seen the chamber," said Peter.

"Poor thing," said Sirius

"**But didn't any of you — fall off your seats?" said Harry awkwardly.**

"**No," said Ron, looking anxiously at Harry again. "Ginny was shaking like mad, though…"**

**Harry didn't understand. He felt weak and shivery, as though he were recovering from a bad bout of flu; he also felt the beginnings of shame. Why had he gone to pieces like that, when no one else had?**

"You have things..." James started to say.

"I know dad."

James still loved the fact that Harry was calling him Dad.

**Professor Lupin had come back. He paused as he entered, looked around, and said, with a small smile, "I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know…"**

**Harry took a bite and to his great surprise felt warmth spread suddenly to the tips of his fingers and toes.**

"Chocolate cures all," said Remus happily.

"Uh huh," said the other three Marauders who had to live with Remus's chocolate obsession since first year.

Remus growled at them and they smiled back wearily.

"**We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes," said Professor Lupin. "Are you all right, Harry?"**

**Harry didn't ask how Professor Lupin knew his name.**

"**Fine," he muttered, embarrassed.**

**They didn't talk much during the remainder of the journey. At long last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station, and there was a great scramble to get outside; owls hooted, cats meowed, and Neville's pet toad **

Severus shivered.

Sirius frowned, "What's wrong?"

"Hate toads."

"Oh."

**croaked loudly from under his hat. It was freezing on the tiny platform; rain was driving down in icy sheets.**

"**Firs' years this way!" called a familiar voice. Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned and saw the gigantic outline of Hagrid **

"Gotta love him."

"No not really," said Lily who found Hagrid a bit scary.

**At the other end of the platform, beckoning the terrified-looking new students forward for their traditional journey across the lake.**

"**All right, you three?" Hagrid yelled over the heads of the crowd. They waved at him, but had no chance to speak to him because the mass of people around them was shunting them away along the platform. Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed the rest of the school along the platform and out onto a rough mud track, where at least a hundred stagecoaches awaited the remaining students, each pulled, Harry could only assume, by an invisible horse,**

"In a sense, yes."

"I'm surprised you can't see them?" said Severus, "I mean, you did see your parents…" he waved his hand in the air not wanting to say something wrong.

"Yeah, but I don't remember it."

"Oh…"

**because when they climbed inside and shut the door, the coach set off all by itself, bumping and swaying in procession.**

**The coach smelled faintly of mold and straw. Harry felt better since the chocolate, but still weak. Ron and Hermione kept looking at him sideways, as though frightened he might collapse again.**

**As the carriage trundled toward a pair of magnificent wrought iron gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars, Harry saw two more towering, hooded Dementors, standing guard on either side.**

"This will not be a happy year…"

**A wave of cold sickness threatened to engulf him again; he leaned back into the lumpy seat and closed his eyes until they had passed the gates. The carriage picked up speed on the long, sloping drive up to the castle; Hermione was leaning out of the tiny window, watching the many turrets and towers draw nearer. At last, the carriage swayed to a halt, and Hermione and Ron got out.**

**As Harry stepped down, a drawling, delighted voice sounded in his ear.**

"**You fainted, Potter? Is Longbottorn telling the truth? **

"Why'd Neville tell?" asked Sirius. He hated it when he was ridiculed for being weak.

"Probably Malfoy ease dropped." Said Lily.

"I guess…"

**You actually fainted?" Malfoy elbowed past Hermione to block Harry's way up the stone steps to the castle, his face gleeful and his pale eyes glinting maliciously.**

**"Shove off, Malfoy," said Ron, whose jaw was clenched.**

"**Did you faint as well, Weasley?" said Malfoy loudly. "Did the scary old Dementor frighten you too, Weasley?"**

"**Is there a problem?" said a mild voice. Professor Lupin had just gotten out of the next carriage.**

"Okay Moony I really forgive you now," Sirius laughed. "Just keep giving that git a hard time, okay."

Everyone laughed including Severus.

**Malfoy gave Professor Lupin an insolent stare, which took in the patches on his robes and the dilapidated suitcase. With a tiny hint of sarcasm in his voice, he said, "Oh, no — er —Professor," then he smirked at Crabbe and Goyle and led them up the steps into the castle.**

"Oi," snapped James, "Show some respect." And Sirius nodded.

Remus blushed, but smile anyway.

**Hermione prodded Ron in the back to make him hurry, and the three of them joined the crowd swarming up the steps, through the giant oak front doors, into the cavernous Entrance Hall, which was lit with flaming torches, and housed a magnificent marble staircase that led to the upper floors.**

"The castle is amazing," smiled Lily, "I still can't get over it sometimes."

Sirius shrugged, "It's alright. I think Marcel did better on my uncle's mansion though. It isn't as drafty."

"Marcel?" she asked

"The architect."

"Wait," said Severus, "Marcel designed you family's homes."

Sirius nodded, "Yeah."

"How loaded is your family?" asked Remus

Sirius shrugged, "Loaded, I guess. But so is Jamsie."

James shook his head, "Not as loaded as the Blacks."

Sirius shifted a bit uncomfortable, "Let's go back to the book."

**The door into the Great Hall stood open at the right; Harry followed the crowd toward it, but had barely glimpsed the enchanted ceiling, which was black and cloudy tonight, when a voice called, "Potter! Granger! I want to see you both!"Harry and Hermione turned around, surprised. Professor McGonagall, Transfiguration teacher and head of Gryffindor House, was calling over the heads of the crowd. She was a stern looking witch who wore her hair in a tight bun; her sharp eyes were framed with square spectacles. Harry fought his way over to her with a feeling of foreboding: Professor McGonagall had a way of making him feel he must have done something wrong.**

"She is good at that," Sirius said as the marauders snickered. Severus and Lily shook their heads while Harry right out laughed.

**"There's no need to look so worried — I just want a word in my office," she told them. "Move along there, Weasley."**

**Ron stared as Professor McGonagall ushered Harry and Hermione away from the chattering crowd; they accompanied her across the entrance hall, up the marble staircase, and along a corridor.**

**Once they were in her office, a small room with a large, welcoming fire, Professor McGonagall motioned Harry and Hermione to sit down. She settled herself behind her desk and said abruptly, "Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say that you were taken ill on the train, Potter."**

"Thanks, Remus," said Lily

"No prob."

**Before Harry could reply, there was a soft knock on the door and Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, came bustling in.**

**Harry felt himself going red in the face. It was bad enough that he'd passed out, or whatever he had done, without everyone making all this fuss.**

"And they should," said Lily with a huff

"You're not weak if you let people help," said Sirius softly, "Took me a while to figure that out too."

Harry shrugged, "Still not used to it."

Lily and James shared a sad look. Lily got up and hugged her son.

"We're going to fix that," said James softly putting a hand on Harry's shoulder and smiling sadly, "You're not alone anymore."

Harry smiled at his parents. It was so nice to finally be able to meet them. He had to remember to thank TRL.

"**I'm fine," he said, "I don't need anything —"**

"**Oh, it's you, is it?" said Madam Pomfrey,**

"I hate that it's a common event."

"Oh the dangers of Quidditch." Said Sirius in a singsong voice.

**Ignoring this and bending down to stare closely at him. "I suppose you've been doing something dangerous again?"**

"**It was a Dementor, Poppy," said Professor McGonagall.**

**They exchanged a dark look, and Madam Pomfrey clucked disapprovingly.**

"**Setting Dementors around a school," she muttered, pushing back Harry's hair and feeling his forehead. "He won't be the last one who collapses. Yes, he's all clammy. Terrible things, they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate —"**

"That one hurt."

"**I'm not delicate!" said Harry crossly.**

"**Of course you're not," said Madam Pomfrey absentmindedly, now taking his pulse.**

"**What does he need?" said Professor McGonagall crisply. "Bed rest? Should he perhaps spend tonight in the hospital wing?"**

"Last thing we need to do is give Malfoy more ammo."

"**I'm fine!" said Harry, jumping up. The thought of what Draco Malfoy would say if he had to go to the hospital wing was torture.**

"Exactly"

"**Well, he should have some chocolate, at the very least," said Madam Pomfrey, who was now trying to peer into Harry's eyes.**

"**I've already had some," said Harry. "Professor Lupin gave me some. He gave it to all of us."**

"**Did he, now?" said Madam Pomfrey approvingly. "So we've finally got a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies?"**

"I don't know why she would be so surprise; you got to know her pretty well with all the time that you had to spend in the hospitable wing," Lily said.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean that she would know if I was a good student or not," Remus said.

"I guess."

"**Are you sure you feel all right, Potter?" Professor McGonagall said sharply.**

"**Yes," said Harry.**

"**Very well. Kindly wait outside while I have a quick word with Miss Granger about her course schedule, then we can go down to the feast together."**

**Harry went back into the corridor with Madam Pomfrey, who left for the hospital wing, muttering to herself. He had to wait only a few minutes; then Hermione emerged looking very happy about something, followed by Professor McGonagall, and the three of them made their way back down the marble staircase to the Great Hall.**

**It was a sea of pointed black hats; each of the long House tables was lined with students, their faces glimmering by the light of thousands of candles, which were floating over the tables in midair. Professor Flitwick, who was a tiny little wizard with a shock of white hair, was carrying an ancient hat and a three-legged stool out of the hall.**

"**Oh," said Hermione softly, "we've missed the Sorting!"**

"I have yet to go to a sorting that wasn't my own."

The Marauders nodded, "Amen."

**New students at Hogwarts were sorted into Houses by trying on the Sorting Hat, which shouted out the House they were best suited to (Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin). **

"Why put that in when it's a common fact?" asked Peter

"For Muggles, I suppose," said Remus

"Still a waste of paper, I mean they must have read the first two books after all."

"Well, I don't know… ask the author."

**Professor McGonagall strode off toward her empty seat at the staff table, and Harry and Hermione set off in the other direction, as quietly as possible, toward the Gryffindor table. People looked around at them as they passed along the back of the hall, and a few of them pointed at Harry. Had the story of his collapsing in front of the Dementor traveled that fast?**

**He and Hermione sat down on either side of Ron, who had saved them seats.**

"**What was all that about?" he muttered to Harry.**

**Harry started to explain in a whisper, but at that moment the headmaster stood up to speak, and he broke off.**

**Professor Dumbledore, though very old, always gave an impression of great energy. **

"I think his lemon drops are spiked."

"That would make a lot of sense"

"Explains everything, really…"

"Weird!"

**He had several feet of long silver hair and beard, half-moon spectacles, and an extremely crooked nose. **

"I wonder who broke it." Said Severus

"Hmmm… I've never really asked," frowned James, "I'll make the note of that next time we get in trouble."

"So tomorrow then?" asked Severus.

"Yea…HEY!" cried James as everyone else laughed.

**He was often described as the greatest wizard of the age, but that wasn't why Harry respected him. You couldn't help trusting Albus Dumbledore, and as Harry watched him beaming around at the students, he felt really calm for the first time since the Dementor had entered the train compartment.**

"**Welcome!" said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious,**

**I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast…"**

"Is befuddled a word?" asked Peter

"Probably," frowned James, "Yet again, the Headmaster is known for making up words."

"He is a rather eccentric man isn't he," said Remus

Sirius snorted, "That's putting it nicely."

"Show some respect," frowned Lily

"Oh I respect the man," said Sirius "Doesn't make him less crazy."

**Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business."**

**He paused, and Harry remembered what Mr. Weasley had said about Dumbledore not being happy with the Dementors guarding the school.**

"Who would be?"

"The Ministry just needs to look like they're doing something."

"Bunch of gits."

**They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued, **

"Not all of them," smirked Peter.

**"And while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises — or even Invisibility Cloaks," he added blandly, and Harry and Ron glanced at each other. **

"Not much you can hide from Dumbledore," said Severus

James shook his head, "You'd be surprised."

**"It is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the Dementors," he said.**

**Percy, who was sitting a few seats down from Harry, puffed out his chest again and stared around impressively. **

James was about to say something when Sirius shot him a warning look and he closed his mouth with a snap.

**Dumbledore paused again; he looked very seriously around the hall, and nobody moved or made a sound.**

"**On a happier note," he continued, "I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year.**

"**First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."**

**There was some scattered, rather unenthusiastic applause.**

Sirius pouted, "How rude."

**Only those who had been in the compartment on the train with Professor Lupin clapped hard, Harry among them. Professor Lupin looked particularly shabby next to all the other teachers in their best robes.**

"**Look at Snape!" Ron hissed in Harry's ear.**

"Oh god," snorted Severus, "I'm gonna hate you."

Remus paled and Sirius sighed in sadness. Remus and Severus got on well before he messed everything up. The too noticed Sirius's sad mood and they immediately felt bad.

**Professor Snape, the Potions master, was staring along the staff table at Professor Lupin. It was common knowledge that Snape wanted the Defense Against the Dark Arts job, but even Harry, who hated Snape, was startled at the expression twisting his thin, sallow face. it was beyond anger: it was loathing. Harry knew that expression only too well; it was the look Snape wore every time he set eyes on Harry.**

"Sorry," said Severus

Harry waved it off, "It's okay."

**"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his game keeping duties."**

Everyone started laughing.

"We should have known," snorted Sirius, "who else would assign a biting book?"

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione stared at one another, stunned. Then they joined in with the applause, which was tumultuous at the Gryffindor table in particular. Harry leaned forward to see Hagrid, who was ruby red in the face and staring down at his enormous hands, his wide grin hidden in the tangle of his black beard.**

"**We should've known!" Ron roared, pounding the table. "Who else would have assigned us a biting book?"**

James looked over to Sirius and smirked while Sirius just rolled his eyes.

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione were the last to stop clapping, and as Professor Dumbledore started speaking again, they saw that Hagrid was wiping his eyes on the tablecloth.**

"Awww," cooed Lily.

"**Well, I think that's everything of importance," said Dumbledore. "Let the feast begin!"**

**The golden plates and goblets before them filled suddenly with food and drink. Harry, suddenly ravenous, helped himself to everything he could reach and began to eat.**

"Boys." Lily said wrinkling her nose in disgust.

"Oi," snapped Remus, "You're no lady yourself," James wanted to add something, but was too afraid to get on her bad side.

Lily pouted, but didn't say anything.

**It was a delicious feast; the hall echoed with talk, laughter, and the clatter of knives and forks. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, however, were eager for it to finish so that they could talk to Hagrid. They knew how much being made a teacher would mean to him. Hagrid wasn't a fully qualified wizard; he had been expelled from Hogwarts in his third year for a crime he had not committed. It had been Harry, Ron, and Hermione who had cleared Hagrid's name last year.**

"You know they should give him his wand back," frowned Peter

"Yeah," agreed James, "It's weird that they didn't try and make up for the fact that they wrongly expelled Hagrid."

"It's not fair," said Lily sadly

"The Ministry is a bunch of lazy ass, egotistical gits," said Sirius calmly, "They'd never admit they were wrong."

**At long last, when the last morsels of pumpkin tart had melted from the golden platters, Dumbledore gave the word that it was time for them all to go to bed, and they got their chance.**

"**Congratulations, Hagrid!" Hermione squealed as they reached the teachers' table.**

"Such good friends," smiled Lily ruffling her son's hair fondly making Harry blush

"Mooooom!" he whined.

"**All down ter you three," said Hagrid, wiping his shining face on his napkin as he looked up at them. "Can' believe it… great man, Dumbledore… came straight down to me hut after Professor Kettleburn said he'd had enough… It's what I always wanted…"**

**Overcome with emotion, he buried his face in his napkin, and Professor McGonagall shooed them away.**

"Awwww," cooed Lily.

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione joined the Gryffindors streaming up the marble staircase and, very tired now, along more corridors, up more and more stairs, to the hidden entrance to Gryffindor Tower, where a large portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress asked them, "Password?"**

"**Coming through, coming through!" Percy called from behind the crowd. "The new password's Fortuna Major!"**

"**Oh no," said Neville Longbottom sadly. He always had trouble remembering the passwords.**

"Weird, Frank has the best memory ever." Said James

"Probably the wife's genes."

**Through the portrait hole and across the common room, the girls and boys divided toward their separate staircases. Harry climbed the spiral stair with no thought in his head except how glad he was to be back. They reached their familiar, circular dormitory with its five four-poster beds, and Harry, looking around, felt he was home at last.**

"I know what you mean," smiled Sirius as Remus nodded.

"That's the end of the chapter," Harry said as he put the book down.

* * *

**Author Note:**

**OH MY GOD! It's FINALLY done! **

**It took me forever to re-type everything. I hope I got everything down again. **

**Well, you know what to do. Drop me a line. Tell me what you hate and what you don't and if I didn't get rid of all the slash remember to tell me.**

**Lots of Hugs**

**HM**

**PS: 1- if you figure out what that means I'll give you a shout out in my next chapter!**


	12. Talons and Tea Leaves

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Reading the Future with the Marauders (and Lily and Snape)**

**Chapter: Talons and Tea Leaves

* * *

**

"I'll read next," volunteered Remus

"All right," said Harry handing Remus the book

**"Talons and Tea Leaves," **Remus read.

"So in other words it's Care of Magical Creatures and Divination," Lily said.

**When Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered the Great Hall for breakfast the next day, the first thing they saw was Draco Malfoy, **

"That must have been a wonderful sight," laughed Sirius who still had not forgiven Malfoy for all the picking on he had done towards Harry during his years at Hogwarts

**who seemed to be entertaining a large group of Slytherins with a very funny story. As they passed, Malfoy did a ridiculous impression of a swooning fit and there was a roar of laughter.**

"The standards of Slytherins have dropped severely," said Severus sadly as if the thought pained him.

**"Ignore him," said Hermione, who was right behind Harry. "Just ignore him, it's not worth it…"**

"Always easier said than done," said Remus who then quickly back to reading after Lily had glared at him. The woman was scary, how James dealt with her…

**"Hey, Potter!" shrieked Pansy Parkinson, a Slytherin girl with a face like a pug. "Potter! The Dementors are coming, Potter! Woooooooooo!"**

Severus groaned and Harry patted him on the back in a condoling manner

**Harry dropped into a seat at the Gryffindor table, next to George Weasley.**

"**New third-year course schedules," said George, **

"That was a…interesting year…" laughed Sirius

**Passing then, over. "What's up with you, Harry?"**

"**Malfoy," said Ron, sitting down on George's other side and glaring over at the Slytherin table.**

**George looked up in time to see Malfoy pretending to faint with terror again.**

"Really!" cried Severus, "It is really hard to defend you guys when you act like idiots!"

"**That little git," he said calmly. "He wasn't so cocky last night when the Dementors were down at our end of the train. Came running into our compartment, didn't he, Fred?"**

James and Sirius started laughing, both picturing Malfoy's face and finding it hilarious.

"**Nearly wet himself," said Fred, with a contemptuous glance at Malfoy.**

"**I wasn't too happy myself," said George. "They're horrible things, those Dementors…"**

"**Sort of freeze your insides, don't they?" said Fred.**

Sirius sighed. He really didn't want to think about those creatures.

"**You didn't pass out, though, did you?" said Harry in a low voice.**

"**Forget it, Harry," said George bracingly. "Dad had to go out to Azkaban one time, remember, Fred? And he said it was the worst place he'd ever been, he came back all weak and shaking… They suck the happiness out of a place, Dementors. Most of the prisoners go mad in there."**

"Joy," said Sirius bitterly.

"Come on, Seer," said Remus, "It isn't going to happen. There's nothing you need to worry about."

Sirius nodded and gave a small smile. Remus was right, it wasn't going to happen.

**"Anyway, we'll see how happy Malfoy looks after our first Quidditch match," said Fred. "Gryffindor versus Slytherin, first game of the season, remember?"**

"Brilliant!" cheered James, "Kick his ass for me, son!"

"Yes, sir!" called Harry with a mock salute

**The only time Harry and Malfoy had faced each other in a Quidditch match, Malfoy had definitely come off worse. Feeling slightly more cheerful, Harry helped himself to sausages and fried tomatoes.**

"Boys," sighed Lily

"Girls," countered Sirius

**Hermione was examining her new schedule.**

"**Ooh, good, we're starting some new subjects today," she said happily.**

"**Hermione," said Ron, frowning as he looked over her shoulder, "they've messed up your timetable. Look — they've got you down for about ten subjects a day. There isn't enough time."**

Sirius made a face, "She didn't…"

Harry started laughing, "Don't tell me you did the same thing!"

"It was foul," cried Sirius

"What?" asked Lily and Severus.

"She signed up for every class," said Sirius, "And will regret it."

"You know," said Remus, "We never figured out how you did it."

"Which means this book will show us," said Peter excitedly.

James smiled happily, "Once again, brilliant."

**"How could you manage that?"**

"**I'll manage. I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall."**

"**But look," said Ron, laughing, "see this morning? Nine o'clock, Divination. And underneath, nine o'clock, Muggle Studies. And —" Ron leaned closer to the timetable, disbelieving, "look— underneath that, Arithmancy, nine o'clock. I mean, I know you're good, Hermione, but no one's that good. How're you supposed to be in three classes at once?"**

"You don't," said Sirius mysteriously

**"Don't be silly," said Hermione shortly. "Of course I won't be in three classes at once."**

"**Well then —"**

"**Pass the marmalade," said Hermione.**

"She's as bad as Remus," laughed Peter

"Yeah, but at least I'm better then you," said Remus affronted. He wasn't that bad!

Peter glowered, _how dare that flea-bag…_

"**But —"**

"**Oh, Ron, what's it to you if my timetable's a bit full?" Hermione snapped. "I told you, I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall."**

"She'll be a lot worse by the end of the year." Said Sirius sadly

**Just then, Hagrid entered the Great Hall. He was wearing his long moleskin overcoat and was absent-mindedly swinging a dead polecat from one enormous hand.**

"**All righ'?" he said eagerly, pausing on his way to the staff table. "Yer in my firs' ever lesson! Right after lunch! Bin up since five getting' everthin' ready… hope it'sokay… me, a teacher… hones'ly…"**

"He'll be fine as long as he keeps his wits," said James encouragingly

"And no one does anything stupid," said Remus, remembering the time Derek Hearth had irritated the Threasel…

**He grinned broadly at them and headed off to the staff table, still swinging the polecat.**

"**Wonder what he's been getting ready?" said Ron, a note of anxiety in his voice.**

"I hope it isn't anything dangerous," said Lily remembering Norbert.

**The Hall was starting to empty as people headed off towards their first lesson. Ron checked his schedule.**

"**We'd better go, look, Divination's at the top of North Tower. It'll take us ten minutes to get there…"**

**They finished breakfast hastily, said goodbye to Fred and George and walked back through the hall. As they passed the Slytherin table, Malfoy did yet another impression of a fainting fit. The shouts of laughter followed Harry into the Entrance Hall.**

Severus shook his head in disgust.

"Easily entertain aren't they." Said Remus indifferently

**The journey through the castle to North Tower was a long one. Two years at Hogwarts hadn't taught them everything about the castle, and they had never been inside North Tower before.**

"**There's — got — to — be — a — short — cut," Ron panted, **

"There is," smiled James and Sirius

**as they climbed the seventh long staircase and emerged on an unfamiliar landing, where there was nothing but a large painting of a bare stretch of grass hanging on the stone wall.**

"**I think it's this way," said Hermione, peering down the empty passage to the right.**

"**Can't be," said Ron. "That's south. Look, you can see a bit of the lake outside the window…"**

**Harry was watching the painting. **

"Don't bother with him, Harry," said James in disgust

"You know him?" asked Harry

"Annoying little toad," sneered Severus

**A fat, dappled-gray pony had just ambled onto the grass and was grazing nonchalantly. Harry was used to the subjects of Hogwarts paintings moving around and leaving their frames to visit each other, but he always enjoyed watching them. **

"Yeah, the sane ones," said Peter

**A moment later, a short, squat knight in a suit of armour had clanked into the picture after his pony. By the look of the grass stains on his metal knees, he had just fallen off.**

"**Aha!" he yelled, seeing Harry, Ron and Hermione. "What villains are these, that trespass upon my private lands! Come to scorn at my fall, perchance? Draw, you knaves, you dogs!"**

"Sir Cadogan," Sirius groaned, he found his antics rather annoying and boring.

**They watched in astonishment as the little knight tugged his sword out of its scabbard and began brandishing it violently, hopping up and down in rage. But the sword was too long for him; a particularly wild swing made him overbalance, and he landed facedown in the grass.**

"**Are you all right?" said Harry, moving closer to the picture.**

"Don't bother with the toad, Harry," said Severus

"**Get back, you scurvy braggart! Back, you rogue!"**

**The knight seized his sword again and used it to push himself back up, but the blade sank deeply into the grass and, though he pulled with all his might, he couldn't get it out again. Finally, he had to flop back down onto the grass and push up his visor to mop his sweating face.**

"**Listen," said Harry, taking advantage of the knight's exhaustion, "we're looking for the North Tower. You don't know the way, do you?"**

There was silence and then Remus let out a loud groan, "Why the hell didn't we think of that?"

"Cause we ain't Harry," said James

"And pity we aren't," said Sirius

"Could have saved us a few hours too," sighed Peter as he thought back to their first day of third year.

Harry watched the exchange in mild amusement.

"**A quest!" The knight's rage seemed to vanish instantly. He clanked to his feet and shouted, "Come follow me, dear friends, and we shall find our goal, or else shall perish bravely in the charge!"**

**"Okay," frowned James, "Maybe he **

**He gave the sword another fruitless tug, tried and failed to mount the fat pony, gave up, and cried, "On foot then, good sirs and gentle lady! On! On!"**

"Idiot," sighed Lily. Even she had little patience for the stupid knight who had once staked her for a whole month before Dumbledore had interfered.

**And he ran, clanking loudly, into the left side of the frame and out of sight.**

**They hurried after him along the corridor, following the sound of his armor. Every now and then they spotted him running through a picture ahead.**

"**Be of stout heart, the worst is yet to come!" yelled the knight, and they saw him reappear in front of an alarmed group of women in crinolines, whose picture hung on the wall of a narrow spiral staircase.**

**Puffing loudly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione climbed the tightly spiraling steps, getting dizzier and dizzier, until at last they heard the murmur of voices above them and knew they had reached the classroom.**

"**Farewell!" cried the knight, popping his head into a painting of some sinister-looking monks. "Farewell, my comrades-in-arms! If ever you have need of noble heart and steely sinew, call upon Sir Cadogan!"**

"Yeah, if they want help from a complete nutter," laughed Peter

"**Yeah, we'll call you," muttered Ron as the knight disappeared, "if we ever need someone mental."**

"Seems me and Ron think alike," smile Peter

This did not make Harry smile.

**They climbed the last few steps and emerged onto a tiny landing, where most of the class was already assembled. There were no doors off this landing, but Ron nudged Harry and pointed at the ceiling, where there was a circular trapdoor with a brass plaque on it.**

"'**Sybill Trelawney, Divination teacher,'"**

"Someone new," said James a bit curious.

Sirius gasped loudly, drawing everyone's attention.

"What?" asked Severus.

"The Trelawney!" cried Sirius, "Her grandmother is one of the greatest seers since Merlin himself!" Sirius sighed and jealousy coated his voice, "You're so lucky, Harry,"

"Not really, Seer." Said Harry

"What do you mean?" asked Sirius.

"She's a fake," he said

"Nonsense," cried Sirius, "She's a Trelawney!"

"Whatever, Pads," said Harry with a shrug, "Just don't get your hopes to up,"

** Harry read. "How're we supposed to get up there?"**

**As though in answer to his question, the trapdoor suddenly opened, and a silvery ladder descended right at Harry's feet. Everyone got quiet.**

Remus whistles

"Weird…" mumbled James

"**After you," said Ron, grinning, so Harry climbed the ladder first.**

**He emerged into the strangest-looking classroom he had ever seen. In fact, it didn't look like a classroom at all, more like a cross between someone's attic and an old-fashioned tea shop. At least twenty small, circular tables were crammed inside it, all surrounded by chintz armchairs and fat little poufs. Everything was lit with a dim, crimson light; the curtains at the windows were all closed, and the many lamps were draped with dark red scarves. It was stiflingly warm, and the fire that was burning under the crowded mantelpiece was giving off a heavy, sickly sort of perfume as it heated a large copper kettle. The shelves running around the circular walls were crammed with dusty-looking feathers, stubs of candles, many packs of tattered playing cards, countless silvery crystal balls, and a huge array of teacups.**

"It's like an old fortuneteller shop," said Lily

"What's a fortuneteller?" asked Peter

Sirius answered, "It's a muggle who uses cards and crystal balls to channel the future."

"But they're not real futures," said Peter

"No they are." Said Sirius who was smiling happily, "Amazingly, Divination is the only branch of magic that is not restricted solely to wizards, there have been amazing Seers who have all been muggles."

"Ah…that's why you like it so much," mused James

No one had anything to say to that so Remus continued to read.

**Ron appeared at Harry's shoulder as the class assembled around them, all talking in whispers.**

"**Where is she?" Ron said.**

**A voice came suddenly out of the shadows, a soft, misty sort of voice.**

"**Welcome," it said. "How nice to see you in the physical world at last."**

**Harry's immediate impression was of a large, glittering insect. **

Everyone, but Sirius started laughing

"I love your descriptions, Har," cried James

Sirius rolled his eyes, but still…it was kind of funny.

**Professor Trelawney moved into the firelight, and they saw that she was very thin; her large glasses magnified her eyes to several times their natural size, and she was draped in a gauzy spangled shawl. Innumerable chains and beads hung around her spindly neck, and her arms and hands were encrusted with bangles and rings.**

"Bit much, really," said Lily

"**Sit, my children, sit," she said, and they all climbed awkwardly into armchairs or sank onto poufs. Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat themselves around the same round table.**

Sirius smiled in anticipation, now to see the master at work. Granted he was a fairly good Seer as well; after all, all Blacks were gifted with a bit of the Gift, but some more so then others. Sirius was average at best (better than his brother, but he was not a true Seer).

"**Welcome to Divination," said Professor Trelawney, who had seated herself in a winged armchair in front of the fire. "My name is Professor Trelawney. You may not have seen me before. I find that descending too often into the hustle and bustle of the main school clouds my Inner Eye."**

Sirius frowned, this didn't look kosher.

"Probably too lazy to come down," laughed Remus.

Sirius glared

**Nobody said anything to this extraordinary pronouncement. Professor Trelawney delicately rearranged her shawl and continued, "So you have chosen to study Divination, the most difficult of all magical arts. **

Lily scoffed.

"It kind of is, Lils," said Remus and rolled his eyes when he saw Sirius's smile. Really the boy's obsession with this branch of magic…when he had so many other talents… "Either you have the gift or you don't"

"Whatever," said Lily, "It's all pretty sketchy to me."

**I must warn you at the outset that if you do not have the Sight, there is very little I will be able to teach you… Books can take you only so far in this field…"**

Remus sighed; it was one of the reasons why he hated the subject so much.

**At these words, both Harry and Ron glanced, grinning, at Hermione, who looked startled at the news that books wouldn't be much help in this subject.**

"**Many witches and wizards, talented though they are in the area of loud bangs and smells and sudden disappearances, are yet unable to penetrate the veiled mysteries of the future," Professor Trelawney went on, **

Sirius nodded in excitement. Come on, let's get to the lesson.

**her enormous, gleaming eyes moving from face to nervous face. "It is a Gift granted to few. You, boy," she said suddenly to Neville, who almost toppled off his pouf. "Is your grandmother well?"**

Sirius froze…that isn't how people make predictions and there was no crystal ball to channel through and…what the hell?

"**I think so," said Neville tremulously.**

"**I wouldn't be so sure if I were you, dear," said Professor Trelawney, the firelight glinting on her long emerald earrings. Neville gulped. Professor Trelawney continued placidly. **

"The hell was that!" cried Sirius

"You get it now," asked Harry

Sirius nodded, "Great she is a fake…"

"**We will be covering the basic methods of Divination this year. The first term will be devoted to reading the tea leaves. Next term we shall progress to palmistry. By the way, my dear," she shot suddenly at Parvati Patil, "beware a red-haired man."**

**Parvati gave a startled look at Ron, who was right behind her and edged her chair away from him.**

"And she's scaring them too," groaned Sirius, "People like this is why divination has such a bad rep!"

"**In the second term," Professor Trelawney went on, "we shall progress to the crystal ball — if we have finished with fire omens, that is. Unfortunately, classes will be disrupted in February by a nasty bout of flu. I myself will lose my voice. And around Easter, one of our number will leave us for ever."**

.Harry frowned. She had gotten that one right after all. Oh Hermione…

**A very tense silence followed this pronouncement, but Professor Trelawney seemed unaware of it.**

"**I wonder, dear," she said to Lavender Brown, who was nearest and shrank back in her chair, "if you could pass me the largest silver teapot?"**

**Lavender, looking relieved, stood up, took an enormous teapot from the shelf, and put it down on the table in front of Professor Trelawney.**

"**Thank you, my dear. Incidentally, that thing you are dreading — it will happen on Friday the sixteenth of October."**

**Lavender trembled.**

"**Now, I want you all to divide into pairs. Collect a teacup from the shelf, come to me, and I will fill it. Then sit down and drink, drink until only the dregs remain. Swill these around the cup three times with the left hand, then turn the cup upside down on its saucer, wait for the last of the tea to drain away, then give your cup to your partner to read. You will interpret the patterns using pages five and six of Unfogging the Future. I shall move among you, helping and instructing. Oh, and dear," — she caught Neville by the arm as he made to stand up, "after you've broken your first cup, would you be so kind as to select one of the blue patterned ones? I'm rather attached to the pink."**

"Self-fulfilling prophecy," sighed Sirius, "This woman is all into theatrics!"

**Sure enough, Neville had no sooner reached the shelf of teacups when there was a tinkle of breaking china. Professor Trelawney swept over to him holding a dustpan and brush and said, "One of the blue ones, then, dear, if you wouldn't mind… thank you…"**

**When Harry and Ron had had their teacups filled, they went back to their table and tried to drink the scalding tea quickly. They swilled the dregs around as Professor Trelawney had instructed, then drained the cups and swapped over.**

"This is a joke…"

"It's all right, Seer."

"No its not!"

"**Right," said Ron as they both opened their books at pages five and six. "What can you see in mine?"**

"**A load of soggy brown stuff," said Harry. The heavily perfumed smoke in the room was making him feel sleepy and stupid.**

Everyone had to laugh at that, though Sirius did it bitterly.

"**Broaden your minds, my dears, and allow your eyes to see past the mundane!" Professor Trelawney cried through the gloom.**

**Harry tried to pull himself together.**

"**Right, you've got a crooked sort of cross…" He consulted Unfogging the Future. "That means you're going to have 'trials and suffering' — sorry about that — but there's a thing that could be the sun. Hang on… that means 'great happiness'… so you're going to suffer but be very happy…"**

"That's a nice prediction."

"**You need your Inner Eye tested, if you ask me," **

This was met with chuckles from the gathered

**said Ron, and they both had to stifle their laughs as Professor Trelawney gazed in their direction.**

"**My turn…" Ron peered into Harry's teacup, his forehead wrinkled with effort. "There's a blob a bit like a bowler hat," he said. "Maybe you're going to work for the Ministry of Magic…"**

**He turned the teacup the other way up.**

"**But this way it looks more like an acorn… what's that?" He scanned his copy of Unfogging the Future. "'A windfall, unexpected gold.' Excellent, you can lend me some. And there's a thing here," he turned the cup again, "that looks like an animal… yeah, if that was its head… it looks like a hippo… no, a sheep…"**

"Ron would make a perfect comedian," smiled Lily

Harry could agree with that.

**Professor Trelawney whirled around as Harry let out a snort of laughter.**

"**Let me see that, my dear," she said reprovingly to Ron, sweeping over and snatching Harry's cup from him. Everyone went quiet to watch.**

**Professor Trelawney was staring into the teacup, rotating it counterclockwise.**

"**The falcon… my dear, you have a deadly enemy."**

"Harry has a deadly enemy, no way." Cried Peter in mock shock

"**But everyone knows that," said Hermione in a loud whisper. Professor Trelawney stared at her.**

"**Well, they do," said Hermione. "Everybody knows about Harry and You-Know-Who."**

"Wow...What happened to the teacher's pet?" asked Sirius

**Harry and Ron stared at her with a mixture of amazement and admiration. They had never heard Hermione speak to a teacher like that before. Professor Trelawney chose not to reply. She lowered her huge eyes to Harry's cup again and continued to turn it.**

"**The club… an attack. Dear, dear, this is not a happy cup…"**

"Theatrics," sighed Sirius, 'She's probably going to use you as a test subject for all her crazy predictions…"

"How'd you know?" asked Harry

"**I thought that was a bowler hat," said Ron sheepishly.**

"**The skull… danger in your path, my dear…"**

**Everyone was staring, transfixed, at Professor Trelawney, who gave the cup a final turn, gasped, and then screamed.**

**There was another tinkle of breaking china; Neville had smashed his second cup. Professor Trelawney sank into a vacant armchair, her glittering hand at her heart and her eyes closed.**

"**My dear boy — my poor dear boy — no — it is kinder not to say — no — don't ask me…"**

"She's practically begging for it," sighed Sirius

"**What is it, Professor?" said Dean Thomas at once. Everyone had got to their feet, and slowly they crowded around Harry and Ron's table, pressing close to Professor Trelawney's chair to get a good look at Harry's cup.**

"**My dear," Professor Trelawney's huge eyes opened dramatically, "you have the Grim."**

Sirius sighed, so she was one of those…

Lily laughed; of course she would say that!

"**The what?" said Harry.**

**He could tell that he wasn't the only one who didn't understand; Dean Thomas shrugged at him and Lavender Brown looked puzzled, but nearly everybody else clapped their hands to their mouths in horror.**

"**The Grim, my dear, the Grim!" cried Professor Trelawney, who looked shocked that Harry hadn't understood. "The giant, spectral dog that haunts churchyards! My dear boy, it is an omen — the worst omen — of death!"**

"That scares you to death," said Lily and Sirius had to agree, the true omen of death was the upside down cross that people always seemed to over look. **(1)**

**Harry's stomach lurched. That dog on the cover of Death Omens in Flourish and Blotts — the dog in the shadows of Magnolia Crescent… Lavender Brown clapped her hands to her mouth too. Everyone was looking at Harry, everyone except Hermione, who had gotten up and moved around to the back of Professor Trelawney's chair.**

"Here we go…"

"**I don't think it looks like a Grim," she said flatly.**

**Professor Trelawney surveyed Hermione with mounting dislike.**

"**You'll forgive me for saying so, my dear, but I perceive very little aura around you. Very little receptivity to the resonances of the future."**

"That wasn't very nice!" cried Lily

"Only because our teacher did the same thing to you," laughed Remus

**Seamus Finnigan was tilting his head from side to side.**

"**It looks like a Grim if you do this," he said, with his eyes almost shut, "but it looks more like a donkey from here," he said, leaning to the left.**

"Wow…"

"**When you've all finished deciding whether I'm going to die or not!" said Harry, taking even himself by surprise. Now nobody seemed to want to look at him.**

James started laughing, "You have no sense of preservation…"

"Why does everyone say that?" cried Harry, "It isn't true."

Severus rolled his eyes, _really?_

"**I think we will leave the lesson here for today," said Professor Trelawney in her mistiest voice. "Yes… please pack away your things…"**

**Silently the class took their teacups back to Professor Trelawney, packed away their books, and closed their bags. Even Ron was avoiding Harry's eyes.**

"**Until we meet again," said Professor Trelawney faintly, "fair fortune be yours. Oh, and dear," — she pointed at Neville, "you'll be late next time, so mind you work extra-hard to catch up."**

"Leave the boy alone!" cried Lily, "Why does she keep picking on him?"

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione descended Professor Trelawney's ladder and the winding stair in silence, then set off for Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration lesson. It took them so long to find her classroom that, early as they had left Divination, they were only just in time.**

**Harry chose a seat right at the back of the room, feeling as though he were sitting in a very bright spotlight; the rest of the class kept shooting furtive glances at him, as though he were about to drop dead at any moment. He hardly heard what Professor McGonagall was telling them about Animagi **

"Best lesson ever!" cheered Peter

Sirius and James agreed

"I wonder what I would be," said Lily

"Probably a doe," snickered Remus while James's smile widened and Sirius burst out laughing.

"I don't get it…"

"You don't have to, Mum," reassured Harry.

**(wizards who could transform at will into animals), and wasn't even watching when she transformed herself in front of their eyes into a tabby cat with spectacle markings around her eyes.**

"**Really, what has got into you all today?" said Professor McGonagall, turning back into herself with a faint pop, and staring around at them all. "Not that it matters, but that's the first time my transformation's not got applause from a class."**

The Marauders started clapping and cheering while everyone else just rolled their eyes at the friendsantics.

**Everybody's heads turned toward Harry again, but nobody spoke. Then Hermione raised her hand.**

"**Please, Professor, we've just had our first Divination class, and we were reading the tea leaves, and —"**

"**Ah, of course," said Professor McGonagall, suddenly frowning. "There is no need to say any more, Miss Granger. Tell me, which of you will be dying this year?"**

"A normal occurrence, apparently…" frowned James

"As if Harry didn't have enough to deal with," frowned Sirius

**Everyone stared at her.**

**"Me," said Harry, finally.**

"**I see," said Professor McGonagall, fixing Harry with her beady eyes. "Then you should know, Potter, that Sybill Trelawney has predicted the death of one student a year since she arrived at this school. None of them has died yet. Seeing death omens is her favorite way of greeting a new class. If it were not for the fact that I never speak ill of my colleagues —" Professor McGonagall broke off, and they saw that her nostrils had gone white. **

"She must really hate the faker," mused Severus.

"Join the club," snarled Sirius, he despised fakers.

**She went on, more calmly, "Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. I shall not conceal from you that I have very little patience with it. True Seers are very rare, and Professor Trelawney…"**

**She stopped again, and then said, in a very matter-of-fact tone, "You look in excellent health to me, Potter, so you will excuse me if I don't let you off homework today. I assure you that if you die, you need not hand it in."**

The marauders all laughed at that.

**Hermione laughed. Harry felt a bit better. It was harder to feel scared of a lump of tea leaves away from the dim red light and befuddling perfume of Professor Trelawney's classroom. Not everyone was convinced, however. Ron still looked worried, and Lavender whispered, "But what about Neville's cup?"**

"It didn't mean anything."

**When the Transfiguration class had finished, they joined the crowd thundering toward the Great Hall for lunch.**

"**Ron, cheer up," said Hermione, pushing a dish of stew toward him. "You heard what Professor McGonagall said."**

**Ron spooned stew onto his plate and picked up his fork but didn't start.**

"**Harry," he said, in a low, serious voice, "You haven't seen a great black dog anywhere, have you?"**

"**Yeah, I have," said Harry. "I saw one the night I left the Dursleys'."**

**Ron let his fork fall with a clatter.**

"Oh boy, this'll be good."

"**Probably a stray," said Hermione calmly.**

"Probably me," Sirius whispered to Remus

**Ron looked at Hermione as though she had gone mad.**

**"Hermione, if Harry's seen a Grim, that's — that's bad," he said. "My — my uncle Bilius saw one and — and he died twenty-four hours later!"**

"**Coincidence," said Hermione airily, pouring herself some pumpkin juice.**

"Not really," frowned Sirius, "There have been too many coincidences. I think if you see the real thing…it can kill you."

"But what is it?" asked Severus

"I always figured it was a vengeful ghost," said Remus, "Not an omen of death."

"That could work…"

"**You don't know what you're talking about!" said Ron, starting to get angry. "Grims scare the living daylights out of most wizards!"**

"**There you are, then," said Hermione in a superior tone. "They see the Grim and die of fright. The Grim's not an omen, it's the cause of death! And Harry's still with us because he's not stupid enough to see one and think, right, well, I'd better kick the bucket then!"**

Everyone was laughing pretty hard by the end of this squabble.

**Ron mouthed wordlessly at Hermione, who opened her bag, took out her new Arithmancy book, and propped it open against the juice jug.**

"**I think Divination seems very woolly," she said, searching for her page. "A lot of guesswork, if you ask me."**

"**There was nothing woolly about the Grim in that cup!" said Ron hotly.**

"**You didn't seem quite so confident when you were telling Harry it was a sheep," said Hermione coolly.**

"**Professor Trelawney said you didn't have the right aura! You just don't like being bad at something for a change!"**

"Ouch… that isn't going to go over well."

**He had touched a nerve. Hermione slammed her Arithmancy book down on the table so hard that bits of meat and carrot flew everywhere.**

"**If being good at Divination means I have to pretend to see death omens in a lump of tea leaves, I'm not sure I'll be studying it much longer! That lesson was absolute rubbish compared with my Arithmancy class!"**

"What's she on about," frowned James, "She hasn't…" he stopped when he saw Sirius's smile, "Oh bugger…she pulled a Sirius…"

**She snatched up her bag and stalked away.**

**Ron frowned after her.**

"**What's she talking about?" he said to Harry. "She hasn't been to an Arithmancy class yet."**

**Harry was pleased to get out of the castle after lunch. Yesterday's rain had cleared; the sky was a clear, pale gray, and the grass was springy and damp underfoot as they set off for their first ever Care of Magical Creatures class.**

**Ron and Hermione weren't speaking to each other. **

"Is it always like this?" asked Peter

'Yes," sighed Harry, "And it gets old fast."

**Harry walked beside them in silence as they went down the sloping lawns to Hagrid's hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. It was only when he spotted three only-too-familiar backs ahead of them that he realized they must be having these lessons with the Slytherins. **

"Oh great, just what you needed, more time with those gits."

**Malfoy was talking animatedly to Crabbe and Goyle, who were chortling. Harry was quite sure he knew what they were talking about.**

"They better not ruin Hagrid's class!"

**Hagrid was waiting for his class at the door of his hut. He stood in his moleskin overcoat, with Fang the boarhound at his heels, looking impatient to start.**

"**C'mon, now, get a move on!" he called as the class approached. "Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!"**

**For one nasty moment, Harry thought that Hagrid was going to lead them into the forest; Harry had had enough unpleasant experiences in there to last him a lifetime.**

Lily groaned at the thought. Harry had only given her a brief overlay of everything.

**However, Hagrid strolled off around the edge of the trees, and five minutes later, they found themselves outside a kind of paddock. There was nothing in there.**

"**Everyone gather 'round the fence here!" he called. "That's it — make sure yeh can see — now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books —"**

"How?" asked Peter

"**How?" said the cold, drawling voice of Draco Malfoy.**

Peter wrinkled his nose in disgust.

Harry thought it quite fitting.

"**Eh?" said Hagrid.**

"**How do we open our books?" Malfoy repeated. He took out his copy of The Monster Book of Monsters, which he had bound shut with a length of rope. Other people took theirs out too; some, like Harry, had belted their book shut; others had crammed them inside tight bags or clamped them together with binder clips.**

"**Hasn' — hasn' anyone bin able ter open their books?" said Hagrid, looking crestfallen.**

**The class all shook their heads.**

"Well it is a bit hard…" frowned Lily, "Maybe there should be instructions on the front or back."

"**Yeh've got ter stroke 'em," said Hagrid, as though this was the most obvious thing in the world. "Look —"**

**He took Hermione's copy and ripped off the Spellotape that bound it. The book tried to bite, but Hagrid ran a giant forefinger down its spine, and the book shivered, and then fell open and lay quiet in his hand.**

"Of course, why didn't you lot guess that, you have to stroke them." Peter said with a roll of his eyes

"**Oh, how silly we've all been!" Malfoy sneered. "We should have stroked them! Why didn't we guess!"**

"Wormtail, you just sounded an awful lot like that git," James teased.

Peter groaned.

**"I — I thought they were funny," Hagrid said uncertainly to Hermione.**

"**Oh, tremendously funny!" said Malfoy. "Really witty, giving us books that try and rip our hands off!"**

"Okay, layoff already, ferret face!" cried Sirius

"Ferret face?" asked James

"Felt fitting for some reason, it all," answered Sirius

"**Shut up, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Hagrid was looking downcast and Harry wanted Hagrid's first lesson to be a success.**

"Like a loyal friend."

"**Righ' then," said Hagrid, who seemed to have lost his thread, "so — so yeh've got yer books an'… an'… now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Yeah. So I'll go an' get 'em. Hang on…"**

**He strode away from them into the forest and out of sight.**

"**God, this place is going to the dogs," said Malfoy loudly. "That oaf teaching classes, my father'll have a fit when I tell him —"**

"And what can Lucy really do?" sneered Remus

**"Yeah too bad daddy is no longer on the broad of governers, he can't do anything about it."**

"**Shut up, Malfoy," Harry repeated.**

"**Careful, Potter, there's a Dementor behind you —"**

"Oh quite it!" cried Severus, "The joke is getting old!"

"**Oooooooh!" squealed Lavender Brown, pointing toward the opposite side of the paddock.**

**Trotting toward them were a dozen of the most bizarre creatures Harry had ever seen. They had the bodies, hind legs, and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings, and heads of what seemed to be giant eagles, with cruel, steel-colored beaks and large, brilliantly, orange eyes. The talons on their front legs were half a foot long and deadly looking. Each of the beasts had a thick leather collar around its neck, which was attached to a long chain, and the ends of all of these were held in the vast hands of Hagrid, who came jogging into the paddock behind the creatures.**

"Hippogriffs," Lily said. "They're all right, but they can be dangerous."

"**Gee up, there!" he roared, shaking the chains and urging the creatures toward the fence where the class stood. Everyone drew back slightly as Hagrid reached them and tethered the creatures to the fence.**

"**Hippogriffs!" Hagrid roared happily, waving a hand at them. "Beau'iful, aren' they?"**

"They really are," smiled Remus

**Harry could sort of see what Hagrid meant. Once you got over the first shock of seeing something that was half horse, half bird, you started to appreciate the Hippogriffs' gleaming coats, changing smoothly from feather to hair, each of them a different color: stormy gray, bronze, pinkish roan, gleaming chestnut, and inky black.**

"**So," said Hagrid, rubbing his hands together and beaming around, "if yeh wan' ter come a bit nearer…"**

**No one seemed to want to. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, however, approached the fence cautiously.**

James smiled happily and Lily gave Harry a hug of gratitude.

"**Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' Hippogriffs is, they're proud," said Hagrid. "Easily offended, Hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do."**

**Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle weren't listening; they were talking in an undertone and Harry had a nasty feeling they were plotting how best to disrupt the lesson.**

"Great…gits"

**"Yeh always wait fer the Hippogriff ter make the firs' move," Hagrid continued. "It's polite, see? Yeh walk toward him, and yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed ter touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him sharpish, 'cause those talons hurt."**

"**Right — who wants ter go first?"**

**Most of the class backed farther away in answer. Even Harry, Ron, and Hermione had misgivings. The Hippogriffs were tossing their fierce heads and flexing their powerful wings; they didn't seem to like being tethered like this.**

"Course not," said Sirius, "They're wild animals."

James sent Sirius a scathing look as Lily gasped in fright.

"**No one?" said Hagrid, with a pleading look.**

"Poor thing."

"**I'll do it," said Harry.**

**There was an intake of breath from behind him, and both Lavender and Parvati whispered, "Oooh, no, Harry, remember your tea leaves!"**

"They're fake," sighed Sirius

**Harry ignored them. He climbed over the paddock fence.**

"**Good man, Harry!" roared Hagrid. "Right then — let's see how yeh get on with Buckbeak."**

**He untied one of the chains, pulled the gray Hippogriff away from its fellows, and slipped off its leather collar. The class on the other side of the paddock seemed to be holding its breath. Malfoy's eyes were narrowed maliciously.**

"**Easy now, Harry," said Hagrid quietly. "Yeh've got eye contact, now try not ter blink… Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much…"**

"Good info," smiled Remus, "He isn't a bad teacher as long as he doesn't get nervous."

**Harry's eyes immediately began to water, but he didn't shut them. Buckbeak had turned his great, sharp head and was staring at Harry with one fierce orange eye. "Tha's it," said Hagrid. "Tha's it, Harry… now, bow."**

**Harry didn't feel much like exposing the back of his neck to Buckbeak, but he did as he was told. He gave a short bow and then looked up.**

**The Hippogriff was still staring haughtily at him. It didn't move.**

"Oh…no…"

"**Ah," said Hagrid, sounding worried. "Right — back away, now, Harry, easy does it —"**

**But then, to Harry's enormous surprise, the Hippogriff suddenly bent its scaly front knees and sank into what was an unmistakable bow.**

"Awesome!"Cried Sirius, 'Maybe Hagrid will let you ride it, I've always wanted to!"

Harry smiled; seemed like Sirius would be getting his wish.

**"All right Harry!"**

"**Well done, Harry!" said Hagrid, ecstatic. "Right — yeh can touch him! Pat his beak, go on!"**

**Feeling that a better reward would have been to back away, Harry moved slowly toward the Hippogriff and reached out toward it. He patted the beak several times and the Hippogriff closed its eyes lazily, as though enjoying it.**

"Awe!" cried Lily and the boys had to agree, it was cute.

**The class broke into applause, all except for Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, who were looking deeply disappointed.**

**"Righ' then, Harry," said Hagrid. "I reckon he migh' let yeh ride him!"**

"Lucky!"

Lily sighed, brilliant…

**This was more than Harry had bargained for. He was used to a broomstick; but he wasn't sure a Hippogriff would be quite the same.**

"**Yeh climb up there, jus' behind the wing joint," said Hagrid, "an' mind yeh don' pull any of his feathers out, he won' like that…"**

**Harry put his foot on the top of Buckbeak's wing and hoisted himself onto its back. Buckbeak stood up. Harry wasn't sure where to hold on; everything in front of him was covered with feathers.**

Sirius groaned in jealousy.

"Come off it mate," sighed James, "It'll happen one day."

"**Go on, then!" roared Hagrid, slapping the Hippogriffs hindquarters.**

**Without warning, twelve-foot wings flapped open on either side of Harry, he just had time to seize the Hippogriff around the neck before he was soaring upward. It was nothing like a broomstick, and Harry knew which one he preferred; the Hippogriff's wings beat uncomfortably on either side of him, catching him under his legs and making him feel he was about to be thrown off; the glossy feathers slipped under his fingers and he didn't dare get a stronger grip; instead of the smooth action of his Nimbus Two Thousand, he now felt himself rocking backward and forward as the hindquarters of the Hippogriff rose and fell with its wings.**

"I still want to try it."

**Buckbeak flew him once around the paddock and then headed back to the ground; this was the bit Harry had been dreading; he leaned back as the smooth neck lowered, feeling he was going to slip off over the beak, then felt a heavy thud as the four ill-assorted feet hit the ground. He just managed to hold on and push himself straight again.**

"**Good work, Harry!" roared Hagrid as everyone except Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle cheered. "Okay, who else wants a go?"**

"This'll encourage everyone," smiled Lily, now that Harry was safe, 'Brilliant strategy Hagrid."

"Though I doubt he was thinking of that," said Severus

"True," agreed Peter

**Emboldened by Harry's success, the rest of the class climbed cautiously into the paddock. Hagrid untied the Hippogriffs one by one, and soon people were bowing nervously, all over the paddock. Neville ran repeatedly backward from his, which didn't seem to want to bend its knees. **

"Once again, poor thing," sighed Lily

"He just needs some confidence," said Sirius

**Ron and Hermione practiced on the chestnut, while Harry watched.**

**Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had taken over Buckbeak. He had bowed to Malfoy, who was now patting his beak, looking disdainful.**

"Poor Buckbeck."

"**This is very easy," Malfoy drawled, loud enough for Harry to, hear him. "I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it… I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you?" he said to the Hippogriff. "Are you, you great ugly brute?"**

There was a moment of silence.

"…idiot…" sighed Severus

**It happened in a flash of steely talons; Malfoy let out a high pitched scream and next moment, Hagrid was wrestling Buckbeak back into his collar as he strained to get at Malfoy, who lay curled in the grass, blood blossoming over his robes.**

**"I'm dying!" Malfoy yelled as the class panicked. "I'm dying, look at me! It's killed me!"**

"Quit overreacting!" cried James who was just angry the git had messed up his class.

"**Yer not dyin'!" said Hagrid, who had gone very white. "Someone help me — gotta get him outta here —"**

**Hermione ran to hold open the gate as Hagrid lifted Malfoy easily. As they passed, Harry saw that there was a long, deep gash on Malfoy's arm; blood splattered the grass and Hagrid ran with him, up the slope toward the castle.**

Lily gasped.

Sirius frowned, "That did look bad."

James rolled his eyes, "Madame Pomfrey will be able to fix him up in a giffy."

**Very shaken, the Care of Magical Creatures class followed at a walk. The Slytherins were all shouting about Hagrid.**

"**They should sack him straight away!" said Pansy Parkinson, who was in tears.**

"Drama much," asked Lily; she really had no patients for that girl.

"**It was Malfoy's fault!" snapped Dean Thomas. **

"True." Nodded James

**Crabbe and Goyle flexed their muscles threateningly.**

"Oh go die in a whole," snarled Peter, he hated bullies…

**They all climbed the stone steps into the deserted entrance hall.**

"**I'm going to see if he's okay!" said Pansy, and they all watched her run up the marble staircase. The Slytherins, still muttering about Hagrid, headed away in the direction of their dungeon common room; Harry, Ron, and Hermione proceeded upstairs to Gryffindor Tower.**

"**You think he'll be all right?" said Hermione nervously.**

"**Course he will. Madam Pomfrey can mend cuts in about a second," said Harry, who had had far worse injuries mended magically by the nurse.**

"I bet the git will milk it for all it's worth."

"**That was a really bad thing to happen in Hagrid's first class, though, wasn't it?" said Ron, looking worried. "Trust Malfoy to mess things up for him…"**

"I know right." Sighed Peter

**They were among the first to reach the Great Hall at dinnertime, hoping to see Hagrid, but he wasn't there.**

"**They wouldn't fire him, would they?" said Hermione anxiously, not touching her steak-and-kidney pudding.**

"**They'd better not," said Ron, who wasn't eating either.**

"Wow, must be really worried," Severus joked.

**Harry was watching the Slytherin table. A large group including Crabbe and Goyle was huddled together, deep in conversation. Harry was sure they were cooking up their own version of how Malfoy had been injured.**

"**Well, you can't say it wasn't an interesting first day back," said Ron gloomily.**

"True enough."

**They went up to the crowded Gryffindor common room after dinner and tried to do the homework Professor McGonagall had given them, but all three of them kept breaking off and glancing out of the tower window.**

"**There's a light on in Hagrid's window," Harry said suddenly.**

**Ron looked at his watch.**

"**If we hurried, we could go down and see him. It's still quite early…"**

"**I don't know," Hermione said slowly, and Harry saw her glance at him.**

"**I'm allowed to walk across the grounds," he said pointedly. "Sirius Black hasn't got past the Dementors yet, has he?"**

"You should still be careful, Harry,"

"But you would never hurt me, right?" asked Harry

"You don't know that, then," said Sirius

**So they put their things away and headed out of the portrait hole, glad to meet nobody on their way to the front doors, as they weren't entirely sure they were supposed to be out.**

**The grass was still wet and looked almost black in the twilight. When they reached Hagrid's hut, they knocked, and a voice growled, "C'min."**

**Hagrid was sitting in his shirtsleeves at his scrubbed wooden table; his boarhound, Fang, had his head in Hagrid's lap. One look told them that Hagrid had been drinking a lot; there was a pewter tankard almost as big as a bucket in front of him, and he seemed to be having difficulty getting them into focus.**

"'**Spect it's a record," he said thickly, when he recognized them. "Don' reckon they've ever had a teacher who lasted on'y a day before."**

"Oh no, they fired him," Lily said sadly.

"**You haven't been fired, Hagrid!" gasped Hermione.**

"**Not yet," said Hagrid miserably, taking a huge gulp of whatever was in the tankard. "But's only a matter o' time, I'n't, after Malfoy…"**

"**How is he?" said Ron as they all sat down. "It wasn't serious, was it?"**

"Of course not!"

"**Madam Pomfrey fixed him best she could," said Hagrid dully, "but he's sayin' it's still agony… covered in bandages… moanin'…"**

"**He's faking it," said Harry at once. "Madam Pomfrey can mend anything. She regrew half my bones last year. Trust Malfoy to milk it for all it's worth."**

"Lucy does the same thing to get attention from Cissy," sighed Sirius, "It's disgusting."

"**School gov'nors have bin told, o' course," said Hagrid miserably. "They reckon I started too big. Shoulda left Hippogriffs fer later… one flobberworms or summat… Jus' thought it'd make a good firs' lesson's all my fault…"**

"**It's all Malfoy's fault, Hagrid!" said Hermione earnestly.**

"**We're witnesses," said Harry. "You said Hippogriffs attack if you insult them. It's Malfoy's problem that he wasn't listening. We'll tell Dumbledore what really happened."**

"Won't work," frowned Sirius, "Too bias."

"**Yeah, don't worry, Hagrid, we'll back you up," said Ron.**

**Tears leaked out of the crinkled corners of Hagrid's beetle-black eyes. He grabbed both Harry and Ron and pulled them into a bone-breaking hug.**

"Why not Hermione too?" Sirius asked.

"Because she was smart enough to stay out of his reach," Harry answered for her.

**"I think you've had enough to drink, Hagrid," said Hermione firmly. She took the tankard from the table and went outside to empty it.**

"**Ah, maybe she's right," said Hagrid, letting go of Harry and Ron, who both staggered away, rubbing their ribs. Hagrid heaved himself out of his chair and followed Hermione unsteadily outside. They heard a loud splash.**

"**What's he done?" said Harry nervously as Hermione came back in with the empty tankard.**

"**Stuck his head in the water barrel," said Hermione, putting the tankard away.**

"That'll sober him up," said Remus

**Hagrid came back, his long hair and beard sopping wet, wiping the water out of his eyes.**

"**That's better," he said, shaking his head like a dog and drenching them all. "Listen, it was good of yeh ter come an' see me, I really —"**

**Hagrid stopped dead, staring at Harry as though he'd only just realized he was there.**

"**WHAT D'YEH THINK YOU'RE DOIN', EH?" he roared, so suddenly that they jumped a foot in the air. **

"I guess he thinks I'm after Harry too, then."

"**YEH'RE NOT TO GO WANDERIN' AROUND AFTER DARK, HARRY! AN, YOU TWO! LETTIN' HIM!" **

Sirius sighed.

**Hagrid strode over to Harry, grabbed his arm, and pulled him to the door.**

"**C'mon!" Hagrid said angrily. "I'm takin' yer all back up ter school an' don' let me catch yeh walkin' down ter see me after dark again. I'm not worth that!"**

"And that's then end," said Remus. "What next?"

"I want to hear about the whole Voldemort thing," said Harry

"All right so…you want to tell it, Snape?" asked Sirius

Severus nodded, "So… the Dark Lord had called me to meet him this morning and not want to anger him I had rushed out to meet him at the designated clearing and when I got there he was fuming…"

* * *

**Author Note:**

**To My Amazing, Delightful, Kindhearted, Readers,**

**This is one of my early presents (as I will be in Cancun during the festive days) to all of you. I will also be putting up a fluffy little Holiday fun with the Marauders and Baby Harry later on so look out for that and if you read my other stories, most will be updated today if not tomorrow. **

**Hey, well here is the next chapter. I hope you liked it. It took forever to retype because I had accidently deleted the other version, LOL…Well the next chapter should be out next week at the earliest…**

**Maybe I'll add Snapes's version of the events in the beginning of the next chapter. What do you think?**

**Happy Holidays**

**HM**

**PS: Leave me a present by remembering to review.**

**Side Notes:**

**1 I just made that up. It would be cool if it were true though.**


	13. The Boggart in the Wardrobe

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Warning: Au  
**

**Reading the Future with the Marauders (Plus Lily and Snape)**

**Chapter: The Boggart in the Wardrobe

* * *

**

**(Flashback)**

"My Lord," said Severus in greeting as he kneeled at his master's feet.

"Rise, Severus," hissed the Dark Lord and Severus did as told, but kept his head down in self-perseverance.

"You," he started, red eyes glaring daggers at the young boy before him, "Have failed me, Severus." He said his voice calm and that terrified Severus. He had heard the stories from the older trainees about what had happened to those who had failed in their missions. "You failed to bring me the secrets of Hogwarts," he hissed and Severus flinched as if physically truck, "I am disappointed and I thought you had so much potential,"

Severus took a deep breath to calm himself, it would not be good to faint in front of the Dark Lord from fear, "I beg forgiveness, my Lord," he bowed loser, "It has proven more difficulties then I had foreseen."

Lord Voldemort's red eyes narrowed as he sneered down at the young Slytherin, "The Dark Lord does not accept failure," he roared, insulted, "_Crucio!"_

Fire, his body was on fire. Every nerve, every inch of his skin was burning, burning from the inside out until all he could do was scream and scream till his throat bleed raw and his eyes ran with tears. And then it was over. Slowly, fire crept away and his body started to shake form the cold that took its place, as if he had been dunked head first into a pool of ice water and the need to scream was replaced with the need to cry.

"My Lord,: called a new voice, a voice that sounded miles away and yet familiar to his fuzzy brain.

"Rise Lucius, what new do you bring?" asked Lord Voldemort.

"The Order of Phoenix has discovered and raided our former hideout, my Lord," he reported.

Severus forced his eyes open and he watched as variations of rage and frustration flickered across the his Lord's face before settling on a blank mask.

"Ah…Albus," he hissed, "The man is rather annoying." Turning back to Severus who had managed to sit up Indian style and was shaking from his previous dose of pain, "Do you understand, Severus?" he asked, "So you understand how important your mission is?"

Severus nodded

The Dark Lord sneered, "And next time I won't accept failure. _Crucio!_"

And it was back, that same burning liquid fire and he was screaming and begging and crying for it to stop, for it to all just end before the ice was back and he was shaking and sobbing and the world was gone mute and his muscles twitched as they adjusted to the lac k of pain.

The Dark Lord was talking. He could see his lips were moving, he could see them moving. Then he was talking to Severus again and he didn't know what he was saying. He couldn't hear, like cotton had been stuffed in his ears. It looked like the Dark Lord was waiting for him to say something and he said what he thought the Dark Lord wanted him to say.

"Forgive me, Master." He begged, head bowed

Voldemort nodded and then gave sickly smile, "I do not like to punish my followers if I can help it. Do not disappoint me again." Snape nodded.

The Death Eater chuckled softly as the younger boy flinched as if expecting to be hit.

"Come on Malfoy," snapped Voldemort.

He heard a crack and sighed in relief. He could still feel the effect of the curse and wondered how long it would last.

Then he heard a rustle of leaves and tensed when he sensed another person's presence. Opening his eyes, the last person he expected to see was Black.

…

Opening his eyes he looked around the room as his friends and former torturers sat. Sirius was looking at him with sad eyes, James with disbelief and…ugh…pity. Lily was crying and Remus frowning as Peter had a look of awe on his face.

"What?" he snapped at him when he got tired of Peter's gawking.

Blushing, he stuttered out an answer, "Y…You met He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and live to t…to tell us."

"All Death Eaters do," Severus pointed out, still confused.

"Yeah, but you got him angry," Remus said after a bit in Peter's place.

Severus nodded and let it go even though it didn't sit well with him because he would bet his life that there was a bit of admiration to follow the awe on Peter's face.

"So let's start reading, k?" Harry asked

"I'll do it!" James volunteered, grabbing the book and sitting down.

"Actually," Harry said, "I want to." Grabbing the book from James

**"The Boggart in the Wardrobe," **Harry read.

James scowled, but let it go.

"Yes, Professor Moony's class," Sirius and Peter cheered.

"I hope I'm good," blushed Remus

"You'll be brilliant," smiled Lily and even Severus nodded in agreement.

**Malfoy didn't reappear in classes until late on Thursday morning, when the Slytherins and Gryffindors were halfway through double Potions. He swaggered into the dungeon, his right arm covered in bandages and bound up in a sling, acting, in Harry's opinion, as though he were the heroic survivor of some dreadful battle.**

"Prat."

"**How is it, Draco?" simpered Pansy Parkinson. "Does it hurt much?"**

"**Yeah," said Malfoy, putting on a brave sort of grimace. **

"I hate him," James said with complete earnest.

"Ahem," Sirius and Harry cried.

**But Harry saw him wink at Crabbe and Goyle when Pansy had looked away.**

"**Settle down, settle down," said Professor Snape idly.**

**Harry and Ron scowled at each other; Snape wouldn't have said 'settle down' if they'd walked in late, he'd have given them detention.**

Severus frowned, "Sorry, Harry."

Harry looked taken aback before he nodded, "It's all right."

**But Malfoy had always been able to get away with anything in Snape's classes; Snape was head of Slytherin House, and generally favored his own students above all others.**

"Ah…the prejudices between houses live on in the people, beyond their school year careers," Remus said sadly.

"What's the story behind that anyway?' Lily asked

"Actually," James frowned, 'We don't know much…"

"Slytherin wanted to get rid of the muggleborns and half-bloods in the school," Sirius said, "I think there was a fight of sorts and he left. The Slytherin students have blamed Godric Gryffindor (the guy Salazar argued with) and that's where the hate has streams from."

"And it's just continued through the generations?" Lily asked in disbelief.

"Pretty much," Remus shrugged.

**They were making a new potion today, a Shrinking Solution. Malfoy set up his cauldron right next to Harry and Ron, so that they were preparing their ingredients on the same table.**

"**Sir," Malfoy called, "sir, I'll need help cutting up these daisy roots, because of my arm —"**

"**Weasley, cut up Malfoy's roots for him," said Snape without looking up.**

Severus sighed in disappointment. He knew exactly what Malfoy was going to do.

**Ron went brick red.**

"**There's nothing wrong with your arm," he hissed at Malfoy.**

**Malfoy smirked across the table.**

"**Weasley, you heard Professor Snape; cut up these roots."**

"Prick."

**Ron seized his knife, pulled Malfoy's roots toward him, and began to chop them roughly, so that they were all different sizes.**

"**Professor," drawled Malfoy, "Weasley's mutilating my roots, sir."**

**Snape approached their table, stared down his hooked nose at the roots, then gave Ron an unpleasant smile from beneath his long, greasy black hair.**

Severus groaned. To think this would have been him if Sirius and he hadn't had that talk… These books were certainly a blessing.

**"Change roots with Malfoy, Weasley."**

"That's unfair," Sirius huffed.

"Yeah, but the roots Ron was cutting for Malfoy were completely useless," Lily said.

"But should he make them trade?" Sirius argued.

"No, he should have probably had Malfoy just sit out if he couldn't do the potion himself," Lily admitted.

"I'm right here!" called Severus and the other two blushed.

"**But, sir —!"**

**Ron had spent the last quarter of an hour carefully shredding his own roots into exactly equal pieces.**

"I hate reading about such an ass you are," Remus said, "Cause I know you're like a lot nicer now."

"Thanks..I think," Severus said.

"**Now," said Snape in his most dangerous voice.**

**Ron shoved his own beautifully cut roots across the table at Malfoy, then took up the knife again.**

"**And, sir, I'll need this shrivelfig skinned," said Malfoy, his voice full of malicious laughter.**

"**Potter, you can skin Malfoy's shrivelfig," said Snape, giving Harry the look of loathing he always reserved just for him.**

"Severus that really isn't fair, Harry hasn't done anything to you," Lily said sadly.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

James sighed, he knew future Snape only hated Harry because Harry had his face and he hated the fact that his mistakes were making his son's life hard.

**Harry took Malfoy's shrivelfig as Ron began trying to repair the damage to the roots he now had to use. Harry skinned the shrivelfig as fast as he could and flung it back across the table at Malfoy without speaking. Malfoy was smirking more broadly than ever.**

"**Seen your pal Hagrid lately?" he asked them quietly.**

"**None of your business," said Ron jerkily, without looking up.**

"**I'm afraid he won't be a teacher much longer," said Malfoy in a tone of mock sorrow. "Father's not very happy about my injury —"**

"Who the hell cares about what your daddy thinks."

"Sirius," Lily admonished.

"Come on Lils. Besides you cursed almost as many time as I have," Sirius said.

"Fine."

"**Keep talking, Malfoy, and I'll give you a real injury," snarled Ron.**

"– **he's complained to the school governors. And to the Ministry of Magic. Father's got a lot of influence, you know. And a lasting injury like this" — he gave a huge, fake sigh — "who knows if my arm'll ever be the same again?"**

"So that's why he's doing it," James said angrily.

"Poor Hagrid," Remus sighed.

"I never understood what he had against Hagrid," Sirius said

"I bet that Dumbledore will be able to help him," Peter said, "Nothing to worry about."

"**So that's why you're putting it on," said Harry, accidentally beheading a dead caterpillar because his hand was shaking in anger, "To try to get Hagrid fired."**

"**Well," said Malfoy, lowering his voice to a whisper, "partly, Potter. But there are other benefits too. Weasley, slice my caterpillars for me."**

**A few cauldrons away, Neville was in trouble. Neville regularly went to pieces in Potions lessons; it was his worst subject, and his great fear of Professor Snape made things ten times worse. **

**His potion, which was supposed to be a bright, acid green, had turned —**

"**Orange, Longbottom," said Snape, ladling some up and allowing to splash back into the cauldron, so that everyone could see.**

"**Orange. Tell me, boy, does anything penetrate that thick skull of yours? Didn't you hear me say, quite clearly, that only one cat spleen was needed? Didn't I state plainly that a dash of leech juice would suffice? What do I have to do to make you understand, Longbottom?"**

Severus groaned.

"You could try not acting like a complete prat, you greasy git," snapped James glaring at Snape, his anger getting the better of him.

"James," scowled Lily, "You can't blame him for his future self's stupidity."

James starred at Lily for a second before backing down and nodding.

**Neville was pink and trembling. He looked as though he was on the verge of tears.**

"That boy needs a healthy dose of self-confidence," Remus sighed

"Hopefully you'll be able to help him with that, Messer Moonies," James said

"I'm sure my future self will try." Remus agreed.

"**Please, sir," said Hermione, "please, I could help Neville put it right —"**

"**I don't remember asking you to show off, Miss Granger," said Snape coldly, and Hermione went as pink as Neville. "Longbottom, at the end of this lesson we will feed a few drops of this potion to your toad and see what happens. Perhaps that will encourage you to do it properly."**

"Now that's just evil; going to torture his pet," Sirius said darkly.

"Sorry," said Severus, "I really hate toads though…"

"Just because the toad is scary doesn't mean you can poison it." Scolded Lily

"Why are you scared of them anyway?" asked Harry

Lily started laughing

"Cause. They. Are. Evil." Severus said completely seriously.

**Snape moved away, leaving Neville breathless with fear.**

"**Help me!" he moaned to Hermione.**

**"Hey, Harry," said Seamus Finnigan, leaning over to borrow Harry's brass scales, "have you heard? Daily Prophet this morning — they reckon Sirius Black's been sighted."**

James groaned, that last thing they need right now was some Sirius bashing. Their nerves were already running thin and they had barely gotten into the chapter!

"**Where?" said Harry and Ron quickly. On the other side of the table, Malfoy looked up, listening closely.**

"**Not too far from here," said Seamus, who looked excited. "It was a Muggle who saw him. 'Course, she didn't really understand. The Muggles think he's just an ordinary criminal, don't they? So she phoned the telephone hot line. By the time the Ministry of Magic got there, he was gone."**

'_Thank god,'_ Harry thought

"**Not too far from here…" Ron repeated, looking significantly at Harry. He turned around and saw Malfoy watching closely. "What, Malfoy? Need something else skinned?"**

**But Malfoy's eyes were shining malevolently, and they were fixed Harry. He leaned across the table.**

"**Thinking of trying to catch Black single-handed, Potter?"**

"He obviously knows the connection between us, pup."

"Yeah, I'm sure his father told him," Harry agreed.

"**Yeah, that's right," said Harry offhandedly.**

**Malfoy's thin mouth was curving in a mean smile.**

"**Of course, if it was me," he said quietly, "I'd have done something before now. I wouldn't be staying in school like a good boy, I'd be out there looking for him."**

"Probably too chicken to event think about it," Sirius said with a roll of his eyes, "He'd send Grabbe to do it."

"Just like his father," Lily sneered

Severus didn't say anything.

"**What are you talking about, Malfoy?" said Ron roughly.**

"**Don't you know, Potter?" breathed Malfoy, his pale eyes narrowed.**

"**Know what?"**

**Malfoy let out a low, sneering laugh.**

"**Maybe you'd rather not risk your neck," he said. "Want to leave it to the Dementors, do you? But if it was me, I'd want revenge. I'd hunt him down myself."**

"**What are you talking about?" said Harry angrily, but at that moment Snape called, "You should have finished adding your ingredients by now; this potion needs to stew before it can be drunk, so clear away while it simmers and then we'll test Longbottom's…"**

"Ugh!" Severus groaned.

"You get worse," Harry said.

"I'm sorry?"

"You get worse," he repeated, "As the years go on. I don't think you like kids."

"I don't," Severus confirmed.

"Me neither," said Sirius randomly, "Now that I think about it, I hate kids."

"Why?" Lily asked

"Regulas grew up," he said

**Crabbe and Goyle laughed openly, watching Neville sweat as he stirred his potion feverishly. Hermione was muttering instructions to him out of the corner of her mouth, so that Snape wouldn't see. **

**Harry and Ron packed away their unused ingredients and went to wash their hands and ladles in the stone basin in the corner.**

"**What did Malfoy mean?" Harry muttered to Ron as he stuck his hands under the icy jet that poured from the gargoyle's mouth "Why would I want revenge on Black? He hasn't done anything to me — yet."**

"**He's making it up," said Ron savagely. "He's trying to make you do something stupid…"**

**The end of the lesson in sight, Snape strode over to Neville, who was cowering by his cauldron.**

"**Everyone gather 'round," said Snape, his black eyes glittering, "and watch what happens to Longbottom's toad. If he has managed to produce a Shrinking Solution, it will shrink to a tadpole. If, as I don't doubt, he has done it wrong, his toad is likely to be poisoned."**

"You really hate toads don't you," James observed

"They're evil devil spawns." Severus said

"You're telling us why later," Harry said, "Or else!"

**The Gryffindors watched fearfully. The Slytherins looked excited. Snape picked up Trevor the toad in his left hand and dipped a small spoon into Neville's potion, which was now green. He trickled a few drops down Trevor's throat.**

**There was a moment of hushed silence, in which Trevor gulped; then there was a small pop, and Trevor the tadpole was wriggling in Snape's palm.**

**The Gryffindors burst into applause. Snape, looking sour, pulled a small bottle from the pocket of his robe, poured a few drops on top of Trevor, and he reappeared suddenly, fully grown.**

"**Five points from Gryffindor," said Snape, which wiped the smiles from every face. "I told you not to help him, Miss Granger. Class dismissed."**

"That is so unfair," Sirius muttered darkly.

"Well technically she did cheat," Lily said.

"Come on Lils," Sirius said exasperated.

"Sorry."

"He's right," Severus agreed, "I shouldn't have threatened the toad, anyway."

"Even if it's a toad," Peter teased

'Even if it's a toad,"

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione climbed the steps to the entrance hall. Harry was still thinking about what Malfoy had said, while Ron was seething about Snape.**

"**Five points from Gryffindor because the potion was all right! Why didn't you lie, Hermione? You should've said Neville did it all by himself!"**

**Hermione didn't answer. Ron looked around.**

"**Where is she?"**

"Odd…"

"She was right there," Peter said

Sirius snorted, "The girl isn't very good at ditching her friends. They'll get suspicious at this rate."

"They are suspicious," Lily said

"Come to think of it," Remus frowned, "You did that too."

"Yup," he agreed

James groaned, "But HOW!

"Harry just read," Sirius said

**Harry turned too. They were at the top of the steps now, watching the rest of the class pass them, heading for the Great Hall and lunch.**

"**She was right behind us," said Ron, frowning.**

**Malfoy passed them, walking between Crabbe and Goyle. He smirked at Harry and disappeared.**

"**There she is," said Harry.**

Sirius snickered at James annoyed face.

**Hermione was panting slightly, hurrying up the stairs; one hand clutched her bag, the other seemed to be tucking something down the front of her robes.**

"**How did you do that?" said Ron.**

"**What?" said Hermione, joining them.**

"**One minute you were right behind us, the next moment, you were back at the bottom of the stairs again."**

"**What?" Hermione looked slightly confused. "Oh — I had to go back for something. Oh no —"**

**A seam had split on Hermione's bag. Harry wasn't surprised; he could see that it was crammed with at least a dozen large and heavy books.**

"**Why are you carrying all these around with you?" Ron asked her.**

"**You know how many subjects I'm taking," said Hermione breathlessly. "Couldn't hold these for me, could you?"**

"**But —" Ron was turning over the books she had handed him, looking at the covers. "You haven't got any of these subjects today. It's only Defense Against the Dark Arts this afternoon."**

"**Oh yes," said Hermione vaguely, but she packed all the books back into her bag just the same. **

"She needs to become a better liar too," Lily said

"DO you know how they did it?" Remus asked

"Of course," she said

"How!" James asked

"Sirius told me,"

Harry continued to read as he snickered at their expressions

"**I hope there's something good for lunch, I'm starving," she added, and she marched off toward the Great Hall.**

"**D'you get the feeling Hermione's not telling us something?" Ron asked Harry.**

"YES!" coursed everyone, but Sirius and Lily who just smiled.

**Professor Lupin wasn't there when they arrived at his first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson. They all sat down, took out their books, quills, and parchment, and were talking when he finally entered the room. Lupin smiled vaguely and placed his tatty old briefcase on the teacher's desk. He was as shabby as ever but looked healthier than he had on the train, as though he had had a few square meals.**

"That and he had a chance to recover form the last full moon."

"**Good afternoon," he said. "Would you please put all your books back in your bags. Today's will be a practical lesson. You will need only your wands."**

"Awesome," James and Sirius said.

**A few curious looks were exchanged as the class put away their books. They had never had a practical Defense Against the Dark Arts class before, unless you counted the memorable class last year when their old teacher had brought a cageful of pixies to class and set them loose.**

"I think Professor Moony will do better than that."

"Much better," Harry agreed.

"**Right then," said Professor Lupin, when everyone was ready. "If you'd follow me."**

**Puzzled but interested, the class got to its feet and followed Professor Lupin out of the classroom. He led them along the deserted corridor and around a corner, where the first thing they saw was Peeves the Poltergeist, who was floating upside down in midair and stuffing the nearest keyhole with chewing gum.**

**Peeves didn't look up until Professor Lupin was two feet away; then he wiggled his curly-toed feet and broke into song.**

"**Loony, loopy Lupin," Peeves sang. "Loony, loopy Lupin, loony, loopy Lupin —"**

Remus groaned

"I can't believe he remembered that!" James cried between his laughter

"One of Peter's best insults," Sirius agreed with a laugh high fiving Peter (who was smirking in self satisfaction)

Harry had to snicker to; it was a pretty catch song.

**Rude and unmanageable as he almost always was, Peeves usually showed some respect toward the teachers. Everyone looked quickly at Professor Lupin to see how he would take this; to their surprise, he was still smiling.**

"Of course he was he can take a joke."

"**I'd take that gum out of the keyhole if I were you, Peeves," he said pleasantly. "Mr. Filch won't be able to get in to his brooms."**

**Filch was the Hogwarts caretaker, a bad-tempered, failed wizard who waged a constant war against the students and, indeed, Peeves. However, Peeves paid no attention to Professor Lupin's words, except to blow a loud wet raspberry.**

**Professor Lupin gave a small sigh and took out his wand.**

"**This is a useful little spell," he told the class over his shoulder. "Please watch closely."**

**He raised the wand to shoulder height, said, "Waddiwasi!" and pointed it at Peeves.**

"Brilliant!" cheered James

**With the force of a bullet, the wad of chewing gum shot out of the keyhole and straight down Peeves's left nostril; he whirled upright and zoomed away, cursing.**

"No wonder they like you Professor Moony," Sirius said though his laughs.

"**Cool, sir!" said Dean Thomas in amazement.**

Harry grinned, "Very cool."

"**Thank you, Dean," said Professor Lupin, putting his wand away again. "Shall we proceed?"**

**They set off again, the class looking at shabby Professor Lupin with increased respect. He led them down a second corridor and stopped, right outside the staffroom door.**

"**Inside, please," said Professor Lupin, opening it and standing back.**

**The staffroom, a long, paneled room full of old, mismatched chairs, was empty except for one teacher. Professor Snape **

"Why am I there?" Severus asked, "Future me hates future and past and present Remus."

"Helping getting things set up," Harry said.

**was sitting in a low armchair, and he looked around as the class filed in. His eyes were glittering and there was a nasty sneer playing around his mouth. As Professor Lupin came in and made to close the door behind him, Snape said, "Leave it open, Lupin. I'd rather not witness this." He got to his feet and strode past the class, his black robes billowing behind him. At the doorway he turned on his heel and said, "Possibly no one's warned you, Lupin, but this class contains Neville Longbottom. I would advise you not to entrust him with anything difficult. **

Lily smacked Severus in the back of the head.

"Remember Lily," James teased, "You can't blame Severus for his future actions."

Lily just flipped him off.

**Not unless Miss Granger is hissing instructions in his ear." **

**Neville went scarlet. Harry glared at Snape; it was bad enough that he bullied Neville in his own classes, let alone doing it in front of other teachers.**

**Professor Lupin had raised his eyebrows.**

"**I was hoping that Neville would assist me with the first stage of the operation," he said, "and I am sure he will perform it admirably."**

"And this is the mark of a wonderful teacher!" Sirius cried

"And what do you know about teaching, Sirius?" Remus asked

"Absolutely nothing!" he cheered as if it were the greatest accomplishment in the world.

**Neville's face went, if possible, even redder. Snape's lip curled, but he left, shutting the door with a snap.**

"**Now, then," said Professor Lupin, beckoning the class toward the end of the room, where there was nothing but an old wardrobe where the teachers kept their spare robes. As Professor Lupin went to stand next to it, the wardrobe gave a sudden wobble, banging off the wall.**

"I am good!" Remus smirked

"What?" James asked

"You'll see," he said

James pouted, he hated not knowing things!

"**Nothing to worry about," said Professor Lupin calmly because a few people had jumped backward in alarm. "There's a Boggart in there."**

James laughed, "Brilliant, Moons!"

"Thank you, Prongs," Remus said with a flourish.

**Most people seemed to feel that this was something to worry about. Neville gave Professor Lupin a look of pure terror, and Seamus Finnigan eyed the now rattling doorknob apprehensively.**

"**Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces," said Professor Lupin. "Wardrobes, the gap beneath beds, the cupboards under sinks — I've even met one that had lodged itself in a grandfather clock. This one moved in yesterday afternoon, and I asked the headmaster if the staff would leave it to give my third years some practice.**

"**So, the first question we must ask ourselves is, what is a Boggart?"**

**Hermione put up her hand.**

"Of course," Peter said with a roll of his eyes

"Like a twisted combination of Lily and Remus, but more reader-ish," Sirius added

"**It's a shape-shifter," she said. "It can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us most."**

"**Couldn't have put it better myself," said Professor Lupin, and Hermione glowed. **

"Watch it Moons," James laughed, "Her egos big enough."

"Oh stop picking on Hermione!" Harry cried

"Why?" Peter asked, "She your girlfriend?"

"No!" Harry cried a little too fast.

The other burst out into laughter at what they thought was an obvious lie as Severus patted his back and Lily snickered among them.

Disgruntled, he just continued to read. They'd see! Hermione was no more than a sister to him.

**"So the Boggart sitting in the darkness within has not yet assumed a form. He does not yet know what will frighten the person on the other side of the door. Nobody knows what a Boggart looks like when he is alone, but when I let him out, he will immediately become whatever each of us most fears.**

"**This means," said Professor Lupin, choosing to ignore Neville's small sputter of terror, "that we have a huge advantage over the Boggart before we begin. Have you spotted it, Harry?"**

**Trying to answer a question with Hermione next to him, bobbing up and down on the balls of her feet with her hand in the air, was very off-putting, but Harry had a go.**

**"Er — because there are so many of us, it won't know what shape it should be?"**

"**Precisely," said Professor Lupin, and Hermione put her hand down, looking a little disappointed. **

Harry rolled his eyes at that as did Sirius.

"**It's always best to have company when you're dealing with a Boggart. He becomes confused. Which should he become, a headless corpse or a flesh-eating slug? I once saw a Boggart make that very mistake — tried to frighten two people at once and turned himself into half a slug. Not remotely frightening.**

"But it was hilarious though," Sirius and James laughed.

"So which one of you was afraid of the slug," Severus asked.

"Wormtail," the marauders all said together laughing as Peter blushed.

'**The charm that repels a Boggart is simple, yet it requires force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a Boggart is laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find amusing.**

"**We will practice the charm without wands first. After me, please… riddikulus!"**

**"Riddikulus!" said the class together.**

"Riddikulus!" Sirius and James echoed as Remus just rolled his eyes and Peter laughed.

"**Good," said Professor Lupin. "Very good. But that was the easy part, I'm afraid. You see, the word alone is not enough. And this is where you come in, Neville."**

**The wardrobe shook again, though not as much as Neville, who walked forward as though he were heading for the gallows.**

"**Right, Neville," said Professor Lupin. "First things first: what would you say is the thing that frightens you most in the world?"**

**Neville's lips moved, but no noise came out.**

**"I didn't catch that, Neville, sorry," said Professor Lupin cheerfully.**

**Neville looked around rather wildly, as though begging someone to help him, then said, in barely more than a whisper, "Professor Snape."**

Everyone laughed at that especially James and Sirius.

"This will be great," James said.

"Professor Moony will come up with something really good," Sirius laughed.

**Nearly everyone laughed. Even Neville grinned apologetically. Professor Lupin, however, looked thoughtful.**

"**Professor Snape… hmmm… Neville, I believe you live with your grandmother?"**

Everyone burst out laughing, even Severus.

"Remus, I can't believe you did that," Lily said sternly, but she couldn't prevent herself from laughing.

"**Er — yes," said Neville nervously. "But — I don't want the Boggart to turn into her either."**

"**No, no, you misunderstand me," said Professor Lupin, now smiling. "I wonder, could you tell us what sort of clothes your grandmother usually wears?"**

**Neville looked startled, but said, "Well… always the same hat. A tall one with a stuffed vulture on top. And a long dress… green, normally… and sometimes a fox-fur scarf."**

James snickered and high fived Remus, "Love ya, mate."

"I'm glad to be of assistance," Remus said.

"**And a handbag?" prompted Professor Lupin.**

"**A big red one," said Neville.**

"**Right then," said Professor Lupin. "Can you picture those clothes very clearly, Neville? Can you see them in your mind's eye?"**

"**Yes," said Neville uncertainty, plainly wondering what was coming next.**

"**When the Boggart bursts out of this wardrobe, Neville, and sees you, it will assume the form of Professor Snape," said Lupin. "And you will raise your wand — thus — and cry 'Riddikulus' — and concentrate hard on your grandmother's clothes. If all goes well, Professor Boggart Snape will be forced into that vulture-topped hat, and that green dress, with that big red handbag."**

"Awesome," James and Sirius said.

"Wish we could have seen it though," Sirius pouted (or at least pouted as much as anyone could pout when laughing hysterically).

"It really was the best, you missing out there," Harry teased.

**There was a great shout of laughter. The wardrobe wobbled more violently.**

"**If Neville is successful, the Boggart is likely to shift his attention to each of us in turn," said Professor Lupin. "I would like all of you to take a moment now to think of the thing that scares you most, and imagine how you might force it to look comical…"**

**The room went quiet. Harry thought… What scared him most in the world?**

**His first thought was Lord Voldemort — a Voldemort returned to full strength. But before he had even started to plan a possible counterattack on a Boggart-Voldemort, **

"I really don't think there is one."

**a horrible image came floating to the surface of his mind…**

**A rotting, glistening hand, slithering back beneath a black cloak… a long, rattling breath from an unseen mouth… then a cold so penetrating it felt like drowning…**

"You're most afraid of the Dementor, that's impressive," Remus said."You're afraid of fear itself,"

**Harry shivered, then looked around, hoping no one had noticed. Many people had their eyes shut tight. Ron was muttering to himself, "Take its legs off." Harry was sure he knew what that was about. Ron's greatest fear was spiders.**

"With good reason too," Sirius said shivering at the image of Aragog and his family, never would he travel that deep into the forest ever again.

"**Everyone ready?" said Professor Lupin.**

**Harry felt a lurch of fear. He wasn't ready. How could you make a Dementor less frightening? But he didn't want to ask for more time; everyone else was nodding and rolling up their sleeves.**

"You should have," Remus said, "I would have helped you."

"**Neville, we're going to back away," said Professor Lupin. "Let you have a clear field, all right? I'll call the next person forward… Everyone back, now, so Neville can get a clear shot —"**

**They all retreated, backed against the walls, leaving Neville alone beside the wardrobe. He looked pale and frightened, but he had pushed up the sleeves of his robes and was holding his wand ready.**

"See, you're already a good influence on him!" James said

"**On the count of three, Neville," said Professor Lupin, who was pointing his own wand at the handle of the wardrobe. "One — two — three —now!"**

**A jet of sparks shot from the end of Professor Lupin's wand and hit the doorknob. The wardrobe burst open. Hook-nosed and menacing, Professor Snape stepped out, his eyes flashing at Neville.**

**Neville backed away, his wand up, mouthing wordlessly. Snape was bearing down upon him, reaching inside his robes.**

"**R — r — riddikulus! " squeaked Neville.**

**There was a noise like a whip crack. Snape stumbled; he was wearing a long, lace-trimmed dress and a towering hat topped with a moth-eaten vulture, and he was swinging a huge crimson handbag.**

"All right Neville," Sirius cheered.

**There was a roar of laughter; the Boggart paused, confused, and Professor Lupin shouted, "Parvati! Forward!"**

**Parvati walked forward, her face set. Snape rounded on her. There was another crack, and where he had stood was a bloodstained, bandaged mummy; its sightless face was turned to Parvati and it began to walk toward her very slowly, dragging its feet, its stiff arms rising —**

"I wonder how Boggarts know our biggest fear," Lily said

"Magic," James said

"**Riddikulus!" cried Parvati.**

**A bandage unraveled at the mummy's feet; it became entangled, fell face forward, and its head rolled off.**

"**Seamus!" roared Professor Lupin.**

**Seamus darted past Parvati.**

**Crack! Where the mummy had been was a woman with floorlength black hair and a skeletal, green-tinged face — **

"A Banshee," Remus said

Harry rolled his eyes and kept reading.

**a banshee. She opened her mouth wide and an unearthly sound filled the room, a long, wailing shriek that made the hair on Harry's head stand on end — "Riddikulus!" shouted Seamus.**

**The banshee made a rasping noise and clutched her throat; her voice was gone.**

**Crack! The banshee turned into a rat, which chased its tail in a circle, then —crack!- became a rattlesnake, which slithered and writhed before —crack! — becoming a single, bloody eyeball.**

"EWW!" Lily cried

"**It's confused!" shouted Lupin. "We're getting there! Dean!"**

**Dean hurried forward.**

**Crack! The eyeball became a severed hand, which flipped over and began to creep along the floor like a crab.**

"**Riddikulus!" yelled Dean.**

**There was a snap, and the hand was trapped in a mousetrap.**

"**Excellent! Ron, you next!"**

**Ron leapt forward.**

**Crack!**

**Quite a few people screamed. A giant spider, six feet tall and covered in hair, **

Sirius let out a rather girly shriek that he would deny for the rest of his life.

**was advancing on Ron, clicking its pincers menacingly. For a moment, Harry thought Ron had frozen. Then —**

"**Riddikulus!" bellowed Ron, and the spider's legs vanished;**

"HAH!" Sirius cheered

**it rolled over and over; Lavender Brown squealed and ran out of its way and it came to a halt at Harry's feet. He raised his wand, ready, but —**

"**Here!" shouted Professor Lupin suddenly, hurrying forward. Crack!**

"What was that about Moony?" James said turning on his friend.

"I obviously didn't want Harry to face the Boggart. I must have thought he was thinking about Voldemort, wouldn't want him appearing there," Remus said.

"Oh."

**The legless spider had vanished. For a second, everyone looked wildly around to see where it was. Then they saw a silvery-white orb hanging in the air in front of Lupin, who said, "Riddikulus!" almost lazily.**

**Crack!**

"**Forward, Neville, and finish him off!" said Lupin as the Boggart landed on the floor as a cockroach. Crack! Snape was back. This time Neville charged forward looking determined.**

"**Riddikulus!" he shouted, and they had a split second's view of Snape in his lacy dress before Neville let out a great "Ha!" of laughter, and the Boggart exploded, burst into a thousand tiny wisps of smoke, and was gone.**

"Wicked!" Peter cheered

"A very successful class, Moons," Sirius said

"Thanks, Pads!"

"**Excellent!" cried Professor Lupin as the class broke into applause. "Excellent, Neville. Well done, everyone… Let me see… five points to Gryffindor for every person to tackle the Boggart — ten for Neville because he did it twice… and five each to Hermione and Harry."**

"**But I didn't do anything," said Harry.**

"**You and Hermione answered my questions correctly at the start of the class, Harry," Lupin said lightly. "Very well, everyone, an excellent lesson. Homework, kindly read the chapter on Boggarts and summarize it for me… o be handed in on Monday. That will be all."**

"That's why you asked Harry that question, so you could make him feel better for not letting him have go at the Boggart."

**Talking excitedly, the class left the staffroom. Harry, however, wasn't feeling cheerful. Professor Lupin had deliberately stopped him from tackling the Boggart. Why? Was it because he'd seen Harry collapse on the train, and thought he wasn't up to much? Had he thought Harry would pass out again?**

"Sorry, cub."

"It's all right Moony, you do have a point."

**But no one else seemed to have noticed anything.**

"Why would they?" Severus asked, "It doesn't concern them."

"**Did you see me take that banshee?" shouted Seamus.**

"**And the hand!" said Dean, waving his own around.**

"**And Snape in that hat!"**

"Love it!"

"**And my mummy!"**

"**I wonder why Professor Lupin's frightened of crystal balls?" said Lavender thoughtfully.**

"Crystal balls, is this girl stupid, why would he be afraid of that?"

"**That was the best Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson we've ever had, wasn't it?" said Ron excitedly as they made their way back to the classroom to get their bags.**

"**He seems like a very good teacher," said Hermione approvingly. **

"Look Moony, you've got Hermione's seal of approval."

"Something I'm very proud of," Remus said; and it was true, he always wanted to be a teacher and it was nice to know that he was appreciated.

"**But I wish I could have had a turn with the Boggart —"**

"What would it have been, failing all of her classes?" joked Sirius

"**What would it have been for you?" said Ron, sniggering. "A piece of homework that only got nine out of ten?"**

"AGAIN!" cried Sirius

"That's the end of the chapter," said James handing the book to Lily.

* * *

**A/N: DONE! YAY! Unfortunately (once again) I do not have enough Peter. UGH! Well…maybe next time. Remember to review!**

**PS: Half way to my goal! YAY!**


	14. Flight of the Fat Lady

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Warning: Au and Slash**

**Reading the Future with the Marauders (Plus Lily and Snape)**

**Chapter: ****Flight of the Fat Lady

* * *

**

"Now it is my turn!" James said, grabbing the book and holding it protectively.

Harry rolled his eyes, "K, Dad."

**"Flight of the Fat Lady**," James read.

"Oh no, what happen to her?" Lily asked concerned.

**In no time at all, Defense Against the Dark Arts had become most people's favorite class. Only Draco Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins had anything bad to say about Professor Lupin.**

"Of course," Lily said with a roll of her eyes

**"Look at the state of his robes," Malfoy would say in a loud whisper as Professor Lupin passed. "He dresses like our old house elf."**

"I didn't realize attire meant the better a teacher I was," Remus said sarcastically. He had always been a bit embarrassed by his money situation because his family had never been very rich since he had been bitten and the family had to move.

"Stupid git."

**But no one else cared that Professor Lupin's robes were patched and frayed. His next few lessons were just as interesting as the first. After Boggarts, they studied Red Caps, nasty little goblin-like creatures that lurked wherever there had been bloodshed: in the dungeons of castles and the potholes of deserted battlefields, waiting to bludgeon those who had gotten lost. From Red Caps they moved on to Kappas, creepy, water-dwellers that looked like scaly monkeys, with webbed hands itching to strangle unwitting waders in their ponds.**

"Good description," Remus said, "They're amazing creatures. They can…"

"We don't care, professor," Sirius said, "James, keep reading."

Everyone laughed as Remus pouted.

**Harry only wished he was as happy with some of his other classes. Worst of all was Potions. **

Snape sighed

"Chill, mate," James said, "We'll stop you from becoming a complete ass."

"Thanks," Snape said, "…I think?"

**Snape was in a particularly vindictive mood these days, and no one was in any doubt why. The story of the Boggart assuming Snape's shape, and the way that Neville had dressed it in his grandmother's clothes, had traveled through the school like wildfire. Snape didn't seem to find it funny. His eyes flashed menacingly at the very mention of Professor Lupin's name, and he was bullying Neville worse than ever.**

Lily sighed

Snape sighed, how he could become a bully after being bullied!

**Harry was also growing to dread the hours he spent in Professor Trelawney's stifling tower room, deciphering lopsided shapes and symbols, trying to ignore the way Professor Trelawney's enormous eyes filled with tears every time she looked at him. He couldn't like Professor Trelawney, even though she was treated with respect bordering on reverence by many of the class. Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown had taken to haunting Professor Trelawney's tower room at lunch times, and always returned with annoyingly superior looks on their faces, as though they knew things the others didn't. They had also started using hushed voices whenever they spoke to Harry, as though he were on his deathbed.**

"Idiots."

**Nobody really liked Care of Magical Creatures, which, after the action-packed first class, had become extremely dull. Hagrid seemed to have lost his confidence. They were now spending lesson after lesson learning how to look after flobberworms, which had to be some of the most boring creatures in existence.**

"That sucks," Sirius said.

"Poor Hagrid," Lily added.

"**Why would anyone bother looking after them?" said Ron, after yet another hour of poking shredded lettuce down the flobberworms' throats.**

**At the start of October, however, Harry had something else to occupy him, something so enjoyable it more than made up for his unsatisfactory classes. **

"Quidditch!" James yelled startling Lily and causing her to glare at him.

**The Quidditch season was approaching, and O1iver Wood, Captain of the Gryffindor team, called a meeting on Thursday evening to discuss tactics for the new season.**

**There were seven people on a Quidditch team: three Chasers, **

"The best position there is," James exclaimed.

"No way dad, it's obvious Seekers are the best," Harry teased.

"Hello, beater," Sirius joined in.

Remus sighed at the quidditch fanatics.

"James read," Lily said and how could James dare to deny his lady.

**whose job it was to score goals by putting the Quaffle (a red, soccer-sized ball) through one of the fifty-foot-high hoops at each end of the field; two Beaters, who were equipped with heavy bats to repel the Bludgers (two heavy black balls that zoomed around trying to attack the players); a Keeper, who defended the goal posts, and the Seeker, who had the hardest job of all, that of catching the Golden Snitch, a tiny, winged, walnut-sized ball, whose capture ended the game and earned the Seeker's team an extra one hundred and fifty points.**

"it is the greatest sport ever," Sirius cried

**Oliver Wood was a burly seventeen-year-old, now in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts. There was a quiet sort of desperation in his voice as he addressed his six fellow team members in the chilly locker rooms on the edge of the darkening Quidditch field.**

"**This is our last chance —my last chance — to win the Quidditch Cup," he told them, striding up and down in front of them. "I'll be leaving at the end of this year. I'll never get another shot at it.**

"**Gryffindor hasn't won for seven years now. **

Snape cheered

Sirius and James groaned.

Remus rolled his eyes

Harry sighed, sad at the fact that they hadn't won before then.

Lily told James to keep reading.

**Okay, so we've had the worst luck in the world — injuries — then the tournament getting called off last year." Wood swallowed, as though the memory still brought a lump to his throat. "But we also know we've got the best — ruddy — team — in — the — school," he said, punching a fist into his other hand, the old manic glint back in his eye. "We've got three superb Chasers."**

"The best position," James added

Harry and Sirius laughed at his stupidity.

**Wood pointed at Alicia Spinner, Angelina Johnson, and Katie Bell.**

"**We've got two unbeatable Beaters."**

Sirius cheered

Harry and James rolled their eyes.

"**Stop it, Oliver, you're embarrassing us," said Fred and George Weasley together, pretending to blush.**

"I knew they were beaters," Sirius said, "Got the right attitude for it and everything."

"**And we've got a Seeker who has never failed to win us a match!" **

Harry stood up and bowed, "Thank you, thank you."

"Oh sit down son," James said.

**Wood rumbled, glaring at Harry with a kind of furious pride. "And me," he added as an afterthought.**

"**We think you're very good too, Oliver," said George.**

"**Spanking good Keeper," said Fred.**

"**The point is," Wood went on, resuming his pacing, "the Quidditch Cup should have had our name on it these last two years. Ever since Harry joined the team, **

"Because he's the best," James burst out, full of fatherly pride.

**I've thought the thing was in the bag. But we haven't got it, and this year's the last chance we'll get to finally see our name on the thing…"**

**Wood spoke so dejectedly that even Fred and George looked sympathetic.**

"**Oliver, this year's our year," said Fred.**

"**We'll do it, Oliver!" said Angelina.**

"**Definitely," said Harry.**

**Full of determination, the team started training sessions, three evenings a week. The weather was getting colder and wetter, the nights darker, but no amount of mud, wind, or rain could tarnish Harry's wonderful vision of finally winning the huge, silver Quidditch Cup.**

"And that is the attitude we need on our team," James said, "Just cause we have a winning streak going on for the past ten years doesn't mean that Gryffindor can start getting sloppy."

"Tell the team," Remus said, "I hear enough of it already."

**Harry returned to the Gryffindor common room one evening after training, cold and stiff but pleased with the way practice had gone, to find the room buzzing excitedly.**

"**What's happened?", he asked Ron and Hermione, who were sitting in two of the best chairs by the fireside and completing some star charts for Astronomy.**

"**First Hogsmeade weekend," said Ron, pointing at a notice that had appeared on the battered old bulletin board. "End of October. Halloween."**

"Way to ruin his mood."

"**Excellent," said Fred, who had followed Harry through the portrait hole. "I need to visit Zonko's. I'm nearly out of Stink Pellets."**

"No, you can never have to many Stink Pellets,' Sirius said, nodding his head sagely

**Harry threw himself into a chair beside Ron, his high spirits ebbing away. Hermione seemed to read his mind.**

"**Harry, I'm sure you'll be able to go next time," she said. "They're bound to catch Black soon. He's been sighted once already."**

"Cause he's not bloody careful enough!" James scolded

"If I'm ever on the run, I'll remember to be more careful," Sirius said

"**Black's not fool enough to try anything in Hogsmeade," said Ron. "Ask McGonagall if you can go this time, Harry. The next one might not be for ages —"**

"**Ron!" said Hermione. "Harry's supposed to stay in school —"**

"Is she always such a joy kill?" James asked

Lily sighed, "She's just worried about Harry's safety."

"Yeah well she can do it in a much less annoying way," James pointed out, "Make sure he stays under the cloak or cast a _Disillusion_ spell, which I am sure they have heard about by now."

"**He can't be the only third year left behind," said Ron. "Ask McGonagall, go on, Harry —"**

"**Yeah, I think I will," said Harry, making up his mind.**

**Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but at that moment Crookshanks leapt lightly onto her lap. A large, dead spider was dangling from his mouth.**

"EW!" Sirius and Lily cried

"**Does he have to eat that in front of us?" said Ron, scowling.**

"Why I like dogs, my red-headed friend," Sirius said to the book.

"**Clever Crookshanks, did you catch that all by yourself?" said Hermione.**

**Crookshanks; slowly chewed up the spider, his yellow eyes fixed insolently on Ron.**

Snape laughed

Sirius snarled

**"Just keep him over there, that's all," said Ron irritably, turning back to his star chart. "I've got Scabbers asleep in my bag."**

"Protect the rat!" Peter cried

Everyone snickered at their antics.

**Harry yawned. He really wanted to go to bed, but he still had his own star chart to complete. He pulled his bag toward him, took out parchment, ink, and quill, and started work.**

"**You can copy mine, if you like," said Ron, labeling his last star with a flourish and shoving the chart toward Harry.**

**Hermione, who disapproved of copying, pursed her lips (**in a stunning resemblance to Professor McGonagall)

"James don't add you own commentary,"

"Yes dear."

**but didn't say anything. Crookshanks was still staring unblinkingly at Ron, flicking the end of his bushy tail. Then, without warning, he pounced.**

"What is that things problem?"

"**OY!" Ron roared, seizing his bag as Crookshanks sank four sets of claws deep inside it and began tearing ferociously. "GET OFF, YOU STUPID ANIMAL!"**

**Ron tried to pull the bag away from Crookshanks, but Crookshanks clung on, spitting and slashing.**

"**Ron, don't hurt him!" squealed Hermione**

"Doesn't she care that Ron is going to get scratched?" Sirius asked

"I don't think she noticed," Harry said

**; the whole common room was watching; Ron whirled the bag around, Crookshanks still clinging to it, and Scabbers came flying out of the top —**

"Flying rats," James mused, "You've seen everything, Harry."

"**CATCH THAT CAT!" Ron yelled as Crookshanks freed himself from the remnants of the bag, sprang over the table, and chased after the terrified Scabbers.**

**George Weasley made a lunge for Crookshanks but missed; Scabbers streaked through twenty pairs of legs and shot beneath an old chest of drawers. Crookshanks skidded to a halt, crouched low on his bandy legs, and started making furious swipes beneath it with his front paw.**

"I hope Scabbers wasn't hurt," Sirius said

_Oh the irony_

**Ron and Hermione hurried over; Hermione grabbed Crookshanks around the middle and heaved him away; Ron threw himself onto his stomach and, with great difficulty, pulled Scabbers out by the tail.**

"**Look at him!" he said furiously to Hermione, dangling Scabbers in front of her. "He's skin and bone! You keep that cat away from him!"**

"Holding him that isn't helping either, Ron," Peter said with a roll of his eyes.

"**Crookshanks doesn't understand it's wrong!" said Hermione, her voice shaking. "All cats chase rats, Ron!"**

"**There's something funny about that animal!" said Ron, who was trying to persuade a frantically wiggling Scabbers back into his pocket. "It heard me say that Scabbers was in my bag!"**

"It's a dumb animal," Peter said, "How could it?"

"Actually, I think it might have a bit Knealzel in it." Remus mused.

"Why?" Peter asked

"The eyes," Remus said

"**Oh, what rubbish," said Hermione impatiently. "Crookshanks could smell him, Ron, how else d'you think —"**

"**That cat's got it in for Scabbers!" said Ron, ignoring the people around him, who were starting to giggle. "And Scabbers was here first, and he's ill!"**

"She really should be more careful. IF her friend has a rat, then she should respect it and teacher her cat to leave it alone," Sirius scowled

"Its instinct," Lily said

"And its instinct for babies to put everything they find in their mouth," Remus said, "But we teach them not to. And if that cat is part kneazel then it will know better."

Lily pouted. She hated being out debated. She'd get Lupin back though.

**Ron marched through the common room and out of sight up the stairs to the boys' dormitories.**

**Ron was still in a bad mood with Hermione next day. He barely talked to her all through Herbology, even though he, Harry, and Hermione were working together on the same Puffapod.**

"**How's Scabbers?" Hermione asked timidly as they stripped fat pink pods from the plants and emptied the shining beans into a wooden pail.**

"At least she's making an effort," Peter said. "It's a start."

"**He's hiding at the bottom of my bed, shaking," said Ron angrily, missing the pail and scattering beans over the greenhouse floor.**

"**Careful, Weasley, careful!" cried Professor Sprout as the beans burst into bloom before their very eyes.**

**They had Transfiguration next. Harry, who had resolved to ask Professor McGonagall after the lesson whether he could go into Hogsmeade with the rest, joined the line outside the class trying to decide how he was going to argue his case. **

"Won't work," James said

"I know," Harry sighed.

**He was distracted, however, by a disturbance at the front of the line.**

**Lavender Brown seemed to be crying. Parvati had her arm around her and was explaining something to Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were looking very serious.**

"**What's the matter, Lavender?" said Hermione anxiously as she, Harry, and Ron went to join the group.**

"**She got a letter from home this morning," Parvati whispered. "It's her rabbit, Binky. He's been killed by a fox."**

"Poor thing," Lily said. She had once had a pet toad. It had mysteriously disappeared the day after it jumped into Severus' hair.

"**Oh," said Hermione, "I'm sorry, Lavender."**

"**I should have known!" said Lavender tragically. "You know what day it is?"**

"**Er —"**

"**The sixteenth of October! 'That thing you're dreading, it will happen on the sixteenth of October!' Remember? She was right, she was right!"**

"Oh bugger," Sirius exclaimed. "She's a fake!"

"It still doesn't mean anything," James said.

**The whole class was gathered around Lavender now. Seamus shook his head seriously. Hermione hesitated; then she said, "You — you were dreading Binky being killed by a fox?"**

"**Well, not necessarily by a fox," said Lavender, looking up at Hermione with streaming eyes, "but I was obviously dreading him dying, wasn't I?"**

"Well, we all worry about our pets," Remus said, "Some more than others."

"**Oh," said Hermione. She paused again. Then —**

"**Was Binky an old rabbit?"**

"She isn't?" Snape cried

"Even Peter has more tact!" James cried

"What does that mean?" Peter asked

James ignored him in favor of reading.

"**N — no!" sobbed Lavender. "H — he was only a baby!"**

"And she'll go into the kill…now," Sirius said

**Parvati tightened her arm around Lavender's shoulders.**

"**But then, why would you dread him dying?" said Hermione.**

Harry sighed; oh, Hermione had no way with people.

**Parvati glared at her.**

**"Well, look at it logically," said Hermione, turning to the rest of the group. "I mean, Binky didn't even die today, did he? Lavender just got the news today —" Lavender wailed loudly. "– and she can't have been dreading it, because it's come as a real shock —"**

"**Don't mind Hermione, Lavender," said Ron loudly, "she doesn't think other people's pets matter very much."**

"As much as that was mean," Lily said, "Hermione deserved it."

**Professor McGonagall opened the classroom door at that moment, which was perhaps lucky; Hermione and Ron were looking daggers at each other, and when they got into class, they seated themselves on either side of Harry and didn't talk to each other for the whole class.**

"Fun," James said.

"Yup," Harry groaned.

**Harry still hadn't decided what he was going to say to Professor McGonagall when the bell rang at the end of the lesson, but it was she who brought up the subject of Hogsmeade first.**

"**One moment, please!" she called as the class made to leave. "As you're all in my House, you should hand Hogsmeade permission forms to me before Halloween. No form, no visiting the village, so don't forget!"**

"And that means don't bother otherwise," Remus said

**Neville put up his hand.**

"**Please, Professor, I — I think I've lost —"**

"**Your grandmother sent yours to me directly, Longbottom," said Professor McGonagall. "She seemed to think it was safer. Well, that's all, you may leave."**

"It seems the grandmother just helps ingrain the fact that he's an idiot," Snape pointed out

"What do you mean?"

"If she smothers him then he will never grow." Snape reasoned.

"**Ask her now," Ron hissed at Harry.**

"**Oh. but —" Hermione began.**

"**Go for it, Harry," said Ron stubbornly.**

**Harry waited for the rest of the class to disappear, then headed nervously for Professor McGonagall's desk.**

"**Yes, Potter?" Harry took a deep breath.**

"**Professor, my aunt and uncle — er — forgot to sign my form," he said.**

"I don't know why you're bothering to ask, you know that McGonagall would never let you go. You should've just forged a signature." James said

"JAMES!" Lily cried

"It's easy," Remus said, "Just flip the real signature upside down and follow the lines, it doesn't look like letters anymore and is easy to copy."

"REMUS!"

"And if you can't do it the manual way, there's this spell…"

Lily cried out in rage, "Sirius! Shut up!"

Harry just laughed.

**Professor McGonagall looked over her square spectacles at him but didn't say anything.**

"**So — er — d'you think it would be all right mean, will It be okay if I — if I go to Hogsmeade?"**

**Professor McGonagall looked down and began shuffling papers on her desk.**

"**I'm afraid not, Potter," she said. "You heard what I said. No form, no visiting the village. That's the rule."**

"**But — Professor, my aunt and uncle — you know, they're Muggles, they don't really understand about — about Hogwarts forms and stuff," Harry said, while Ron egged him on with vigorous nods. "If you said I could go —"**

"Pathetic!" James said, "You need a sob story to win her over."

"Stop giving our child pointers on how to be evil, James!" Lily cried

"Oh," James cried, "You didn't call me Potter! I'm growing on you!" He glomped her.

Snape glared at James, "Shouldn't you read?"

"Oh yeah," James said, letting a red faced Lily go.

"**But I don't say so," said Professor McGonagall, standing up and piling her papers neatly into a drawer. "The form clearly states that the parent or guardian must give permission." She turned to look at him, with an odd expression on her face. Was it pity? "I'm sorry, Potter, but that's my final word. You had better hurry, or you'll be late for your next lesson."**

"I think she likes you pup."

**There was nothing to be done. Ron called Professor McGonagall a lot of names that greatly annoyed Hermione; Hermione assumed an 'all-for-the-best' expression that made Ron even angrier, and Harry had to endure everyone in the class talking loudly and happily about what they were going to do first, once they got into Hogsmeade.**

"Fun," Peter said, sarcastically.

"**There's always the feast," said Ron, in an effort to cheer Harry up. "You know, the Halloween feast, in the evening."**

"**Yeah," said Harry gloomily, "great."**

**The Halloween feast was always good, but it would taste a lot better if he was coming to it after a day in Hogsmeade with everyone else. Nothing anyone said made him feel any better about being left behind. Dean Thomas, who was good with a quill, had offered to forge Uncle Vernon's signature on the form, but as Harry had already told Professor McGonagall he hadn't had it signed, that was no good. **

"That's to bad," Sirius said

Lily groaned

**Ron halfheartedly suggested the Invisibility Cloak, but Hermione stamped on that one, reminding Ron what Dumbledore had told them about the Dementors being able to see through them. Percy had what were possibly the least helpful words of comfort.**

"**They make a fuss about Hogsmeade, but I assure you, Harry, it's not all it's cracked up to be," he said seriously. "All right, the sweetshop's rather good, and Zonko's Joke Shop's frankly dangerous, and yes, the Shrieking Shack's always worth a visit, but really, Harry, apart from that, you're not missing anything."**

"Git."

"He's trying," Sirius defended

"And failing," Remus added

**On Halloween morning, Harry awoke with the rest and went down to breakfast, feeling thoroughly depressed, though doing his best to act normally.**

"If you're anything like your father, everyone knew you were down right depressed," Remus said

"Hey!"

"**We'll bring you lots of sweets back from Honeydukes," said Hermione, looking desperately sorry for him.**

"**Yeah, loads," said Ron. He and Hermione had finally forgotten their squabble about Crookshanks in the face of Harry's difficulties.**

"Good friends," Lily observed

"The best," Harry agreed

"**Don't worry about me," said Harry, in what he hoped was at, offhand voice, "I'll see you at the feast. Have a good time."**

**He accompanied them to the entrance hall, where Filch, the caretaker, was standing inside the front doors, checking off names against a long list, peering suspiciously into every face, and making sure that no one was sneaking out who shouldn't be going.**

"**Staying here, Potter?" shouted Malfoy, who was standing in line with Crabbe and Goyle. "Scared of passing the Dementors?"**

"Prat."

"Must we insult him every time he is mentioned?" Remus asked

"Yes."

"Okay then."

**Harry ignored him and made his solitary way up the marble staircase, through the deserted corridors, and back to Gryffindor Tower.**

"**Password?" said the Fat Lady, jerking out of a doze.**

"**Fortuna Major," said Harry listlessly.**

**The portrait swung open and he climbed through the hole into the common room. It was full of chattering first-and second-years, and a few older students, who had obviously visited Hogsmeade so often the novelty had worn off.**

James gasped dramatically, "Impossible!"

"**Harry! Harry! Hi, Harry!"**

**It was Colin Creevey, a second year who was deeply in awe of Harry and never missed an opportunity to speak to him.**

Harry groaned. The boy was rather annoying.

"**Aren't you going to Hogsmeade, Harry? Why not? Hey —" Colin looked eagerly around at his friends — "you can come and sit with us, if you like, Harry!"**

"**Er — no, thanks, Colin," said Harry, who wasn't in the mood to have a lot of people staring avidly at the scar on his forehead. "I — I've got to go to the library, got to get some work done."**

"Ugh, libraries," James gagged

**After that, he had no choice but to turn right around and head back out of the portrait hole again.**

"**What was the point of waking me up?" the Fat Lady called grumpily after him as he walked away.**

"She should be used to it after these four," Lily said

And Sirius, James, Peter, and even Remus looked proud of that fact.

**Harry wandered dispiritedly toward the library, but halfway there he changed his mind; he didn't feel like working. He turned around and came face-to-face with Filch, who had obviously just seen off the last of the Hogsmeade visitors.**

"**What are you doing?" Filch snarled suspiciously.**

"**Nothing," said Harry truthfully.**

"**Nothing!" spat Filch, his jowls quivering unpleasantly. "A likely story! Sneaking around on your own — why aren't you in Hogsmeade buying Stink Pellets and Belch Powder and Whizzing Worms like the rest of your nasty little friends?"**

"He annoys me," Sirius said

Snape snorted, "He annoys us all."

**Harry shrugged.**

"**Well, get back to your common room where you belong!" snapped Filch, and he stood glaring until Harry had passed out of sight.**

**But Harry didn't go back to the common room; he climbed a staircase, thinking vaguely of visiting the Owlery to see Hedwig, and was walking along another corridor when a voice from inside one of the rooms said, "Harry?"**

**Harry doubled back to see who had spoken and met Professor Lupin, looking around his office door.**

"Good, you can cheer him up!" Lily said

"**What are you doing?" said Lupin, though in a very different voice from Filch. "Where are Ron and Hermione?"**

"**Hogsmeade," said Harry, in a would-be casual voice.**

"**Ah," said Lupin. He considered Harry for a moment. "Why don't you come in? I've just taken delivery of a Grindylow for our next lesson."**

"**A what?" said Harry.**

"A…" Remus started

James cut him off, reading extra loud to drown him out.

**He followed Lupin into his office. In the corner stood a very large tank of water. A sickly green creature with sharp little horns had its face pressed against the glass, pulling faces and flexing its long, spindly fingers.**

"**Water demon," said Lupin, surveying the Grindylow thoughtfully. "We shouldn't have much difficulty with him, not after the Kappas. The trick is to break his grip. You notice the abnormally long fingers? Strong, but very brittle."**

**The Grindylow bared its green teeth and then buried itself in a tangle of weeds in a corner.**

"Wild animals shouldn't be caged," Severus said

"How else will we study them?" Remus asked

"**Cup of tea?" Lupin said, looking around for his kettle. "I was just thinking of making one."**

"**All right," said Harry awkwardly.**

**Lupin tapped the kettle with his wand and a blast of steam issued suddenly from the spout.**

"**Sit down," said Lupin, taking the lid off a dusty tin. "I've only got teabags, I'm afraid — but I daresay you've had enough of tea leaves?"**

**Harry looked at him. Lupin's eyes were twinkling.**

"Like Dumbledore, Remus can also do the Twinkle," Sirius said

"Took the micky for weeks after they noticed," Remus pouted

"The Twinkle?" Snape asked

James nodded, "The Twinkle.'

"**How did you know about that?" Harry asked.**

"**Professor McGonagall told me," said Lupin, passing Harry a chipped mug of tea. "You're not worried, are you?"**

"**No," said Harry.**

**He thought for a moment of telling Lupin about the dog he'd seen in Magnolia Crescent but decided not to. **

"Good, I'd have thought it were Sirius and inform the aurors," Remus said

"But if I'm a danger," Sirius started

"You're not," James cut him off.

**He didn't want Lupin to think he was a coward, especially since Lupin already seemed to think he couldn't cope with a Boggart.**

**Something of Harry's thoughts seemed to have shown on his face, because Lupin said, "Anything worrying you, Harry?"**

"Remus has always been good at reading people," Sirius said

"Bloody annoying at times," Peter added

"**No," Harry lied. He drank a bit of tea and watched the Grindylow brandishing a fist at him. "Yes," he said suddenly, putting his tea down on Lupin's desk. "You know that day we fought the Boggart?"**

**"Yes," said Lupin slowly.**

"**Why didn't you let me fight it?" said Harry abruptly.**

**Lupin raised his eyebrows.**

"My son is not an idiot," James cried

"What?" Snape asked

"Whenever he does that, he thinks you're acting a bit dense," Sirius clarified

"Thanks Professor," Harry teased much to Remus' embarrassment.

"**I would have thought that was obvious, Harry," he said, sounding surprised.**

**Harry, who had expected Lupin to deny that he'd done any such thing, was taken aback.**

"Nah, Moony has never been one for denying the truth."

"**Why?" he said again.**

"**Well," said Lupin, frowning slightly, "I assumed that if the Boggart faced you, it would assume the shape of Lord Voldemort." **(Snape twitched slightly at the name)

"Told you," Remus said

"No one said otherwise, Moons," James said before reading again.

**Harry stared. Not only was this the last answer he'd expected, but Lupin had said Voldemort's name. The only person Harry had ever heard say the name aloud (apart from himself) was Professor Dumbledore.**

"Its silly to fear a name," Remus said, glancing pointedly at Peter and then at Snape.

"**Clearly, I was wrong," said Lupin, still frowning at Harry. "But I didn't think it a good idea for Lord Voldemort to materialize in the staffroom. I imagined that people would panic."**

"**I didn't think of Voldemort," said Harry honestly. "I — I remembered those Dementors."**

"**I see," said Lupin thoughtfully. "Well, well… I'm impressed." He smiled slightly at the look of surprise on Harry's face. "That suggests that what you fear most of all is — fear. Very wise, Harry."**

"You've barley changed, Moons," Sirius said

Remus smiled, "I would hope not."

**Harry didn't know what to say to that, so he drank some more tea.**

**"So you've been thinking that I didn't believe you capable of fighting the Boggart?" said Lupin shrewdly.**

"**Well… yeah," said Harry. He was suddenly feeling a lot happier. "Professor Lupin, you know the Dementors —"**

"You've already won Harry's trust," Lily smiled

"Good, that you know a Marauder, Harry," James said

Harry nodded, not mentioning that he got to know two.

**He was interrupted by a knock on the door.**

"**Come in," called Lupin.**

**The door opened, and in came Snape. He was carrying a goblet, which was smoking faintly, and stopped at the sight of Harry, his black eyes narrowing.**

"What am I doing there?" Snape wondered aloud

"**Ah, Severus," said Lupin, smiling. "Thanks very much. Could you leave it here on the desk for me?"**

**Snape set down the smoking goblet, his eyes wandering between Harry and Lupin.**

"**I was just showing Harry my Grindylow," said Lupin pleasantly, pointing at the tank.**

"Small talk won't work," Snape pointed out

"I have to try," Remus said

"**Fascinating," said Snape, without looking at it. "You should drink that directly, Lupin."**

"**Yes, Yes, I will," said Lupin.**

"**I made an entire cauldron full," Snape continued. "If you need more."**

"I wonder what it is," Peter said

**"I should probably have some again tomorrow. Thanks very much, Severus."**

"Not at all," said Snape, but there was a look in his eye Harry didn't like. He backed out of the room, unsmiling and watchful.

**Harry looked curiously at the goblet. Lupin smiled.**

"**Professor Snape has very kindly concocted a potion for me," he said. "I have never been much of a potion-brewer and this one is particularly complex." **

Understatement," Peter teased

Remus snorted, "I am a fine brewer."

"No you're not," everyone said (but Harry who looked on in amusment).

**He picked up the goblet and sniffed it. "Pity sugar makes it useless," he added, taking a sip and shuddering.**

"**Why —?" Harry began. Lupin looked at him and answered the unfinished question.**

"**I've been feeling a bit off-color," he said. "This potion is the only thing that helps. I am very lucky to be working alongside Professor Snape; there aren't many wizards who are up to making it."**

"Do…do you think it's a cure?" Remus asked

James shrugged, but looked hopeful. "I suddenly love Snape."

"Back off, he's mine," Sirius joked, also in awe at the thought of a cured Remus. Their friend went through so much every month.

"So, it is to help you," Lily said. "I wonder what it does."

**Professor Lupin took another sip and Harry had a crazy urge to knock the goblet out of his hands.**

"Don't," Sirius warned. "If it could help him…"

"**Professor Snape's very interested in the Dark Arts," he blurted out.**

"**Really?" said Lupin, looking only mildly interested as he took another gulp of potion.**

"**Some people reckon —" Harry hesitated, then plunged recklessly on, "some people reckon he'd do anything to get the Defense Against the Dark Arts job."**

"I'm not trying to poision him!" Snape cried, insulted.

**Lupin drained the goblet and pulled a face.**

"**Disgusting," he said. "Well, Harry, I'd better get back to work. See you at the feast later."**

"**Right," said Harry, putting down his empty teacup.**

**The empty goblet was still smoking.**

"**There you go," said Ron. "We got as much as we could carry."**

**A shower of brilliantly colored sweets fell into Harry's lap. **

"Good friends," Peter said

**It was dusk, and Ron and Hermione had just turned up in the common room, pink-faced from the cold wind and looking as though they'd had the time of their lives.**

"**Thanks," said Harry, picking up a packet of tiny black Pepper Imps. "What's Hogsmeade like? Where did you go?"**

**By the sound of it — everywhere. Dervish and Banges, the wizarding equipment shop, Zonko's Joke Shop, into the Three Broomsticks for foaming mugs of hot butterbeer, and many places besides.**

"**The post office, Harry! About two hundred owls, all sitting on shelves, all color-coded depending on how fast you want your letter to get there!"**

"**Honeydukes has got a new kind of fudge; they were giving out free samples, there's a bit, look —"**

"**We think we saw an ogre, honestly, they get all sorts at the Three Broomsticks —"**

"Best place in Hogsmeade," James said

"**Wish we could have brought you some butterbeer, really warms you up —"**

"I think they might be excited."

"**What did you do?" said Hermione, looking anxious. "Did you get any work done?"**

"**No," said Harry. "Lupin made me a cup of tea in his office. And then Snape came in…"**

**He told them all about the goblet. Ron's mouth fell open.**

"**Lupin drank it?" he gasped. "Is he mad?"**

Snape groaned

**Hermione checked her watch.**

"**We'd better go down, you know, the feast'll be starting in five minutes." They hurried through the portrait hole and into the crowd, still discussing Snape.**

"**But if he — you know —" Hermione dropped her voice, glancing nervously around, "if he was trying to — to poison Lupin — he wouldn't have done it in front of Harry."**

"Even Hermione!" Snape cried

"Well, in that time you are evil," Peter pointed out

Snape pouted.

"**Yeah, maybe," said Harry as they reached the entrance hall and crossed into the Great Hall. It had been decorated with hundreds and hundreds of candle-filled pumpkins, a cloud of fluttering live bats, and many flaming orange streamers, which were swimming lazily across the stormy ceiling like brilliant water snakes.**

**The food was delicious; even Hermione and Ron, who were full to bursting with Honeydukes sweets, managed second helpings of everything. **

"The house elves are awesome!" Peter cheered

**Harry kept glancing at the staff table. Professor Lupin looked cheerful and as well as he ever did; he was talking animatedly to tiny little Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher. Harry moved his eyes along the table, to the place where Snape sat. Was he imagining it, or were Snape's eyes flickering toward Lupin more often than was natural?**

"Imagining it!"

"Let it go!"

**The feast finished with an entertainment provided by the Hogwarts ghosts. They popped out of the walls and tables to do a bit of formation gliding; Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost, had a great success with a reenactment of his own botched beheading.**

**It had been such a pleasant evening that Harry's good mood couldn't even be spoiled by Malfoy, who shouted through the crowd as they all left the hall, "The Dementors send their love, Potter!"**

"Git."

"Prat."

"Arse."

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed the rest of the Gryffindors along the usual path to Gryffindor Tower, but when they reached the corridor that ended with the portrait of the Fat Lady, they found it jammed with students.**

"**Why isn't anyone going in?" said Ron curiously.**

"Odd."

**Harry peered over the heads in front of him. The portrait seemed to be closed.**

"**Let me through, please," came Percy's voice, and he came bustling importantly through the crowd. "What's the holdup here? You can't all have forgotten the password — excuse me, I'm Head Boy —"**

"I don't like the sound of this," Lily said.

**And then a silence fell over the crowd, from the front first, so that a chill seemed to spread down the corridor. They heard Percy say, in a suddenly sharp voice, "Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick."**

"Oh, I wonder what happened!"

"I hope no ones hurt."

**People's heads turned; those at the back were standing on tiptoe.**

"**What's going on?" said Ginny, who had just arrived.**

"Wouldn't wee like to know,"

"If you let me read, we'll find out."

**A moment later, Professor Dumbledore was there, sweeping toward the portrait; the Gryffindors squeezed together to let him through, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione moved closer to see what the trouble was.**

"**Oh, my —" Hermione grabbed Harry's arm.**

**The Fat Lady had vanished from her portrait, which had been slashed so viciously that strips of canvas littered the floor; great chunks of it had been torn away completely. **

Sirius whistled

**Dumbledore took one quick look at the ruined painting and turned, his eyes somber, to see Professors McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape hurrying toward him.**

"Who could have done that?"

"**We need to find her," said Dumbledore. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."**

"**You'll be lucky!" said a cackling voice.**

**It was Peeves the Poltergeist, bobbing over the crowd and looking delighted, as he always did, at the sight of wreckage or worry.**

"Peeves is good for many things," James said

"But those times are rare," Sirius finished

"**What do you mean, Peeves?" said Dumbledore calmly, and Peeves's grin faded a little. He didn't dare taunt Dumbledore. Instead he adopted an oily voice that was no better than his cackle. "Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful," he said happily. "Poor thing." he added unconvincingly.**

"**Did she say who did it?" said Dumbledore quietly.**

"**Oh yes, Professorhead," said Peeves, with the air of one cradling a large bombshell in his arms. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." Peeves flipped over and grinned at Dumbledore from between his own legs. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."**

"WHAT!"

* * *

**A/N: My favorite chapter's coming soon!**


	15. Grim Defeat

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Warning: Au and Slash**

**Reading the Future with the Marauders (Plus Lily and Snape)**

**Chapter: Grim Defeat**

**

* * *

**

The group was silent, Sirius was mopping.

"I think we should break for lunch," Lily said after a few minutes.

The others nodded and all stood to leave when Snape spoke up, "I can't be seen leaving the Gryffindor Tower!"

Everyone froze.

"And I can't be seen with James," Harry pointed out, "That would cause a real commotion."

"Plus, school is tomorrow," Lily added, "What will Harry do? He can't hide out here can he?"

"Well were else would he go?" Snape asked

Remus bit his lip, and the marauders shared an uneasy look.

"What?" Lily asked

"Well…" Sirius frowned

"He could stay at the…" James frowned

"But that's one of our greatest secrets." Peter protested

"What are you guys talking about?" Harry asked

"There's this room you see," Remus started

"That will give you anything you want," Sirius added

Harry groaned and slapped his forehead, "How could I forget! The Room of Requirements, that's what you guys are talking about right?"

"You know it!" James cried, happy that they weren't giving one of their best kept secrets away.

"Yeah, been using it all last year," Harry said

Lily frowned, "Why couldn't you tell us?"

"The mark of a brilliant prankster is finding the room, we don't dare give it away," Remus said, "Its why we…"

Sirius stepped on his foot and he shut up, "Didn't want to tell you," Sirius finished though everyone knew that wasn't what Remus was going to say.

"So I'll go there and we can all read there." Harry said, "It'll be better for Snape too because sooner or later someone is going to get curious."

"So we'll meet up with the food at the Room…" James said

"But how will you know which Room Snape and I will be in?' Harry asked

"Just ask for the Marauder Hangout, k?" Sirius said, smirking, "Trust me, it will blow your minds!

**...**

The group met up, the marauder's arms laden with food. Peter still looked a bit put out, but as they dug into the lunch the house elves had prepared, his foul mood disappeared and he joined the conversation just as happily as the others.

After about an hour Lily picked up the book and began to read, "**Grim Defeat."**

"I don't like the sound of that," Lily said.

James frowned, "I hope this has nothing to do with Quidditch."

Harry snorted

**Professor Dumbledore sent all the Gryffindors back to the Great Hall, where they were joined ten minutes later by the students from Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, who all looked extremely confused.**

"Well, I don't blame them," Snape said

"Sorry," Sirius apologized.

"Not your fault, Pads," James said

**"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," Professor Dumbledore told them as Professors McGonagall and Flitwick closed all doors into the hall. "I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately," he added to Percy, who was looking immensely proud and important.**

"James!"

"I can't help it!" James whined

Sirius just rolled his eyes

**"Send word with one of the ghosts."**

**Professor Dumbledore paused, about to leave the hall, and said, "Oh, yes, you'll be needing…"**

**One casual wave of his wand and the long tables flew to the edges of the hall and stood themselves against the walls; another wave, and the floor was covered with hundreds of squashy purple sleeping bags.**

"Why purple?' Lily asked

"It's a neutral color," Remus pointed out, "No house has purple does it?"

"**Sleep well," said Professor Dumbledore, closing the door behind him.**

**The hall immediately began to buzz excitedly; the Gryffindors were telling the rest of the school what had just happened.**

"**Everyone into their sleeping bags!" shouted Percy. "Come on, now, no more talking! Lights out in ten minutes!"**

"**C'mon," Ron said to Harry and Hermione; they seized three sleeping bags and dragged them into a corner.**

"**Do you think Black's still in the castle?" Hermione whispered anxiously.**

"No, I would have left as soon as I realized that I couldn't get into the tower."

"Unless you were an idiot," Lily added

"Which means we have something to worry about," Remus teased

Sirius pouted

"**Dumbledore obviously thinks he might be," said Ron.**

"**It's very lucky he picked tonight, you know," said Hermione as they climbed fully dressed into their sleeping bags and propped themselves on their elbows to talk. "The one night we weren't in the tower…"**

"**I reckon he's lost track of time, being on the run," said Ron. "Didn't realize it was Halloween. Otherwise he'd have come bursting in here."**

**Hermione shuddered.**

**All around them, people were asking one another the same question: "How did he get in?"**

"I must have used one of the passage ways," Sirius said.

"But wouldn't Remus tell Dumbledore about them?" Peter question.

Sirius just shrugged.

"**Maybe he knows how to Apparate," said a Ravenclaw a few feet away, "Just appear out of thin air, you know."**

"You can't Apparate inside of Hogwarts," Snape scoffed.

"**Disguised himself, probably," said a Hufflepuff fifth year.**

"**He could've flown in," suggested Dean Thomas.**

"**Honestly, am I the only person who's ever bothered to read Hogwarts, A History?" said Hermione crossly to Harry and Ron.**

"Yup," James agreed

"I read it!" Remus and Lily protested

"Yeah, but you're freaks," Sirius pointed out

Lily smacked him in the back of his head with the book.

"**Probably," said Ron. "Why?"**

"**Because the castle's protected by more than walls, you know," said Hermione. "There are all sorts of enchantments on it, to stop people entering by stealth. You can't just Apparate in here. And I'd like to see the disguise that could fool those Dementors. They're guarding every single entrance to the grounds. They'd have seen him fly in too. And Filch knows all the secret passages, they'll have them covered…"**

"Not all of them."

"**The lights are going out now!" Percy shouted. "I want everyone in their sleeping bags and no more talking!"**

**The candles all went out at once. The only light now came from the silvery ghosts, who were drifting about talking seriously to the prefects, and the enchanted ceiling, which, like the sky outside, was scattered with stars. What with that, and the whispering that still filled the hall, Harry felt as though he were sleeping outdoors in a light wind.**

"I love sleeping in the Great Hall," Sirius smiled

"We never had to do that," Lily frowned

James grinned, a bit sheepish, "In second year, we camped out. Professor Dumbledore found us the next morning."

"Talk about embarrassing," Remus groaned

"Its like the man never sleeps," Peter added, "It was three in the morning after all."

**Once every hour, a teacher would reappear in the Hall to check that everything was quiet. Around three in the morning, when many students had finally fallen asleep, Professor Dumbledore came in. Harry watched him looking around for Percy, who had been prowling between the sleeping bags, telling people off for talking. Percy was only a short way away from Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who quickly pretended to be asleep as Dumbledore's footsteps drew nearer.**

"**Any sign of him, Professor?" asked Percy in a whisper.**

"**No. All well here?"**

"**Everything under control, sir."**

"**Good. There's no point moving them all now. I've found a temporary guardian for the Gryffindor portrait hole. You'll be able to move them back in tomorrow."**

"**And the Fat Lady, sir?"**

"He's very respectful," Lily said, "I don't think any of you call the Headmaster 'sir'"

"He asked us not to," Peter said, "After our a millionth time seeing him, he said that we knew each other that well."

"Even went as far to ask us to call him Albus," James chuckled

"But we don't dare," Peter said, "Just Dumbles."

"Dumbles?" Snape cried

The Marauders nodded and everyone else laughed

"**Hiding in a map of Argyllshire on the second floor. Apparently she refused to let Black in without the password, so he attacked. She's still very distressed, but once she's calmed down, I'll have Mr. Filch restore her."**

"Sorry!"

**Harry heard the door of the hall creak open again, and more footsteps.**

"**Headmaster?" It was Snape. Harry kept quite still, listening hard. "The whole of the third floor has been searched. He's not there. And Filch has done the dungeons; nothing there either."**

"**What about the Astronomy tower? Professor Trelawney's room? The Owlery?"**

"**All searched…"**

"**Very well, Severus. I didn't really expect Black to linger."**

"AW! He knows you so well!" James joked

Sirius smacked him on the arm.

Everyone laughed at James' pout-y face

"**Have you any theory as to how he got in, Professor?" asked Snape.**

**Harry raised his head very slightly off his arms to free his other ear.**

"**Many, Severus, each of them as unlikely as the next."**

**Harry opened his eyes a fraction and squinted up to where they stood; Dumbledore's back was to him, but he could see Percy's face, rapt with attention, and Snape's profile, which looked angry.**

"**You remember the conversation we had, Headmaster, just before — ah — the start of term?" said Snape, who was barely opening his lips, as though trying to block Percy out of the conversation.**

"**I do, Severus," said Dumbledore, and there was something like warning in his voice.**

"**It seems — almost impossible — that Black could have entered the school without inside help. I did express my concerns when you appointed —"**

"He thinks you're helping me, Moony," Sirius said bitterly.

"I'm sorry, Remus," Snape apologized.

"Nah, its all right," Remus assured him, "We know differently now."

"That's why he was looking at you and Harry so curiously," Lily said.

"What are you talking about?" Remus asked.

"When you and Harry were in your office, Severus was looking at you funny."

"Yeah, so you think he thought I was trying to hurt Harry too, or something," Remus asked.

"I don't know, but he obviously thinks that your still friends with Sirius and from his point of view that means you could be dangerous too." Lily pointed out

"But Snape's trying to protect me, then why is he such an ass?" Harry asked, thinking back on that year.

"Harry, don't call a professor an ass!" Lily scolded

Harry blushed

"**I do not believe a single person inside this castle would have helped Black enter it," said Dumbledore, and his tone made it so clear that the subject was closed that Snape didn't reply. "I must go down to the Dementors," said Dumbledore. "I said I would inform them when our search was complete."**

"**Didn't they want to help, sir?" said Percy.**

"**Oh yes," said Dumbledore coldly. "But I'm afraid no Dementor will cross the threshold of this castle while I am Headmaster."**

**Percy looked slightly abashed. Dumbledore left the hall, walking quickly and quietly. Snape stood for a moment, watching the headmaster with an expression of deep resentment on his face; then he too left.**

"You know your face is going to get stuck like that," Peter warned, a twinkle in his eye to show he was teasing

**Harry glanced sideways at Ron and Hermione. Both of them had their eyes open too, reflecting the starry ceiling.**

"**What was all that about?" Ron mouthed.**

**The school talked of nothing but Sirius Black for the next few days. The theories about how he had entered the castle became wilder and wilder; Hannah Abbott, from Hufflepuff, spent much of their next Herbology class telling anyone who'd listen that Black could turn into a flowering shrub.**

Sirius snorted

"But they are rather close," James hissed

"Do you think its mentioned," Sirius whispered back

James looked over at Lily and Snape who were paying them no mind as Sirius read, "I hope not."

**The Fat Lady's ripped canvas had been taken off the wall and replaced with the portrait of Sir Cadogan and his fat gray pony. **

"Argh, sorry about that."

**Nobody was very happy about this. **

"Of course not!"

"Sorry!"

"Stop apologizing, Sirius!"

**Sir Cadogan spent half his time challenging people to duels, and the rest thinking up ridiculously complicated passwords, which he changed at least twice a day.**

"**He's a complete lunatic," said Seamus Finnigan angrily to Percy. "Can't we get anyone else?"**

"**None of the other pictures wanted the job," said Percy. "Frightened of what happened to the Fat Lady. Sir Cadogan was the only one brave enough to volunteer."**

"More like dumb enough," Severus smirked, "A complete Gryffindor."

"HEY!" cried said Gryffindors.

**Sir Cadogan, however, was the least of Harry's worries. He was now being closely watched. Teachers found excuses to walk along corridors with him, and Percy Weasley (acting, Harry suspected, on his mother's orders) was tailing him everywhere like an extremely pompous guard dog. **

Harry groaned, remembering how annoying it had been.

**To cap it all, Professor McGonagall summoned Harry into her office, with such a somber expression on her face Harry thought someone must have died.**

Sirius sighed mournfully

"**There's no point hiding it from you any longer, Potter," she said in a very serious voice. "I know this will come as a shock to you, but Sirius Black —"**

"**I know he's after me," said Harry wearily. "I heard Ron's dad telling his mum. Mr. Weasley works for the Ministry of Magic."**

**Professor McGonagall seemed very taken aback. **

**She stared at Harry for a moment or two, then said, "I see! Well, in that case, Potter, you'll understand why I don't think it's a good idea for you to be practicing Quidditch in the evenings. Out on the field with only your team members, it's very exposed, Potter —"**

"WHAT!" James cried, "Is Mcgonagle on something! This is Quidditch!"

Lily frowned and turned to Remus, "Is he always like this about quidditch?"

"To James, death is optional losing a game is not," Remus explained

"**We've got our first match on Saturday!" said Harry, outraged. "I've got to train, Professor!"**

**Professor McGonagall considered him intently. Harry knew she was deeply interested in the Gryffindor team's prospects; it had been she, after all, who'd suggested him as Seeker in the first Place. He waited, holding his breath.**

"**Hmm…"Professor McGonagall stood up and stared out of the window at the Quidditch field, just visible through the rain. "Well… goodness knows, I'd like to see us win the Cup at last… but all the same, Potter… I'd be happier if a teacher were present. I'll ask Madam Hooch to oversee your training sessions."**

James sighed in relief.

Lily rolled her eyes.

**The weather worsened steadily as the first Quidditch match drew nearer. Undaunted, the Gryffindor team was training harder than ever under the eye of Madam Hooch. Then, at their final training session before Saturday's match, Oliver Wood gave his team some unwelcome news.**

"**We're not playing Slytherin!" he told them, looking very angry. **

James groaned, "I wanted to see you kick Malfoy's ass!"

Harry on the other hand smiled, remembering his lose. He hated the thought of losing to Malfoy (which had never happened thank god!)

"**Flint's just been to see me. We're playing Hufflepuff instead."**

"**Why?" chorused the rest of the team.**

"**Flint's excuse is that their Seeker's arm's still injured," said Wood, grinding his teeth furiously. "But it's obvious why they're doing it. Don't want to play in this weather. Think it'll damage their chances…"**

"They couldn't bet us in a million years," James smirked

"What about our second year?' Snape asked

James snorted, "That was before a Potter got on the team!"

**There had been strong winds and heavy rain all day, and as Wood spoke, they heard a distant rumble of thunder.**

"**There's nothing wrong with Malfoy's arm!" said Harry furiously. "He's faking it!"**

"**I know that, but we can't prove it," said Wood bitterly, "And we've been practicing all those moves assuming we're playing Slytherin, and instead it's Hufflepuff, and their style's quite different. They've got a new Captain and Seeker, Cedric Diggory —"**

Harry cringed at the mention of Cedric, the first of the people he will see die in front of him.

Snape noticed, but said nothing

**Angelina, Alicia, and Katie suddenly giggled.**

"**What?" said Wood, frowning at this lighthearted behavior.**

"**He's that tall, good-looking one, isn't he?" said Angelina.**

"**Strong and silent," said Katie, and they started to giggle again.**

Lily sighed dreamily at the description, what she wouldn't give for a guy like that…

James and Snape glared at the book as it were its fault

Peter, Remus, and Sirius all snickered

"**He's only silent because he's too thick to string two words together," said Fred impatiently. "I don't know why you're worried, Oliver, Hufflepuff is a pushover. Last time we played them, Harry caught the Snitch in about five minutes, remember?"**

"You have too…"James started, but Harry cut him off.

"After the chapter," Harry promised

"**We were playing in completely different conditions!" Wood shouted, his eyes bulging slightly. "Diggory's put a very strong side together! He's an excellent Seeker! I was afraid you'd take it like this! We mustn't relax! We must keep our focus! Slytherin is trying to wrong-foot us! We must win!"**

"**Oliver, calm down!" said Fred, looking slightly alarmed. "We're taking Hufflepuff very seriously. Seriously."**

**The day before the match, the winds reached howling point and the rain fell harder than ever. It was so dark inside the corridors and classrooms that extra torches and lanterns were lit. The Slytherin team was looking very smug indeed, and none more so than Malfoy.**

"**Ah, if only my arm was feeling a bit better!" he sighed as the gale outside pounded the windows.**

"I hate him."

"Us too."

**Harry had no room in his head to worry about anything except the match tomorrow. Oliver Wood kept hurrying up to him between classes and giving him tips. The third time this happened, Wood talked for so long that Harry suddenly realized he was ten minutes late for Defense Against the Dark Arts, and set off at a run with Wood shouting after him, "Diggory's got a very fast swerve, Harry, so you might want to try looping him —"**

**Harry skidded to a halt outside the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, pulled the door open, and dashed inside.**

"**Sorry I'm late, Professor Lupin. I —"**

**But it wasn't Professor Lupin who looked up at him from the teacher's desk; it was Snape.**

"What!" Lily and Snape cried

"Do you think?" James asked

"Probably," Remus said and then blushed when he saw Harry watching them. He knew Harry knew about his secret, but they'd never gotten around to talking about it.

"**This lesson began ten minutes ago, Potter, so I think we'll make it ten points from Gryffindor. Sit down."**

**But Harry didn't move.**

"**Where's Professor Lupin?" he said.**

"**He says he is feeling too ill to teach today," said Snape with a twisted smile. "I believe I told you to sit down?"**

**But Harry stayed where he was.**

"**What's wrong with him?"**

**Snape's black eyes glittered.**

"**Nothing life-threatening," he said, looking as though he wished it were. "Five more points from Gryffindor, and if I have to ask you to sit down again, it will be fifty."**

"Sorry, mate, but you're a right foul ass," James said

Snape sighed, "I know."

**Harry walked slowly to his seat and sat down. Snape looked around at the class.**

"**As I was saying before Potter interrupted, Professor Lupin has not left any record of the topics you have covered so far —"**

"**Please, sir, we've done Boggarts, Red Caps, Kappas, and Grindylows," said Hermione quickly, "and we're just about to start —"**

"**Be quiet," said Snape coldly. "I did not ask for information. I was merely commenting on Professor Lupin's lack of organization."**

"**He's the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had," said Dean Thomas boldly, and there was a murmur of agreement from the rest of the class. Snape looked more menacing than ever.**

"**You are easily satisfied. Lupin is hardly overtaxing you — I would expect first years to be able to deal with Red Caps and Grindylows. Today we shall discuss —"**

**Harry watched him flick through the textbook, to the very back chapter, which he must know they hadn't covered.**

"— **werewolves," said Snape.**

"What!" cried the marauders.

"What so weird about it?' Lily asked, suspicious.

"Nothing," the four boys chorused.

"Its just that Remus' brother was killed by a werewolf, we were surprised Snape was being so kind," Peter quickly jumped in, "I mean, we thought Remus would be forced to stutter through the whole lesson, crying about it…it is a very sensitive subject after all."

Lily bought it. "Oh, that's nice."

"Thank you," Remus mouthed, glad that Peter had been able to make up that story. He was the best liar out of all of them.

Peter smiled, he always loved praise.

**"But, sir," said Hermione, seemingly unable to restrain herself, "we're not supposed to do werewolves yet, we're due to start Hinkypunks —"**

"**Miss Granger," said Snape in a voice of deadly calm, "I was under the impression that I am teaching this lesson, not you. **

"She would do a better job then you I'm sure." Sirius growled, still irritated with BookSnape.

**And I am telling you all to turn to page 394." He glanced around again. "All of you! Now!"**

**With many bitter sidelong looks and some sullen muttering, the class opened their books.**

"**Which of you can tell me how we distinguish between the werewolf and the true wolf?" said Snape.**

**Everyone sat in motionless silence; everyone except Hermione, whose hand, as it so often did, had shot straight into the air.**

"**Anyone?" Snape said, ignoring Hermione. His twisted smile was back. "Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn't even taught you the basic distinction between —"**

"**We told you," said Parvati suddenly, "we haven't got as far as werewolves yet, we're still on-"**

"**Silence!" snarled Snape. "Well, well, well, I never thought I'd meet a third-year class who wouldn't even recognize a werewolf when they saw one. I shall make a point of informing Professor Dumbledore how very behind you all are…"**

"**Please, sir," said Hermione, whose hand was still in the air, "the werewolf differs from the true wolf in several small ways. The snout of the werewolf —"**

"**That is the second time you have spoken out of turn, Miss Granger," said Snape coolly. "Five more points from Gryffindor for being an insufferable know-it-all."**

Snape groaned

**Hermione went very red, put down her hand, and stared at the floor with her eyes full of tears. It was a mark of how much the class loathed Snape that they were all glaring at him, because every one of them had called Hermione a know-it-all at least once, and Ron, who told Hermione she was a know-it-all at least twice a week, said loudly, "You asked us a question and she knows the answer! Why ask if you don't want to be told?"**

Sirius and James cheered.

**The class knew instantly he'd gone too far. Snape advanced on Ron slowly, and the room held its breath.**

"Stop frightening them," Lily cried

"I can't control him!" Snape countered

**"Detention, Weasley," Snape said silkily, his face very close to Ron's. "And if I ever hear you criticize the way I teach a class again, you will be very sorry indeed."**

**No one made a sound throughout the rest of the lesson. They sat and made notes on werewolves from the textbook, while Snape prowled up and down the rows of desks, examining the work they had been doing with Professor Lupin.**

"**Very poorly explained… That is incorrect, the Kappa is more commonly found in Mongolia… Professor Lupin gave this eight out of ten? I wouldn't have given it three…"**

"No it isn't. You'll confuse them on tests," Remus growled, "If you have a problem with me, tell me to my face, don't hurt the students."

**When the bell rang at last, Snape held them back.**

"**You will each write an essay, to be handed in to me, on the ways you recognize and kill werewolves. I want two rolls of parchment on the subject, and I want them by Monday morning. It is time somebody took this class in hand. Weasley, stay behind, we need to arrange your detention."**

"Yep, Hermione's defiantly going to know I'm a werewolf by Monday," Remus sighed softly, so softly that only James and Sirius could hear him.

**Harry and Hermione left the room with the rest of the class, who waited until they were well out of earshot, then burst into a furious tirade about Snape.**

"**Snape's never been like this with any of our other Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, even if he did want the job," Harry said to Hermione. "Why's he got it in for Lupin? D'you think this is all because of the Boggart?"**

"No."

"**I don't know," said Hermione pensively. "But I really hope Professor Lupin gets better soon…"**

**Ron caught up with them five minutes later, in a towering rage.**

"**D'you know what that —" (he called Snape something that made Hermione say "Ron!") **"— **is making me do? I've got to scrub out the bedpans in the hospital wing. Without magic!" He was breathing deeply, his fists clenched. "Why couldn't Black have hidden in Snape's office, eh? He could have finished him off for us!"**

Sirius chuckled darkly

**Harry woke extremely early the next morning; so early that it was still dark. For a moment he thought the roaring of the wind had woken him. Then he felt a cold breeze on the back of his neck and sat bolt upright — Peeves the Poltergeist had been floating next to him, blowing hard in his ear.**

"I love that guy," James said fondly

Lily snorted, "You would."

**"What did you do that for?" said Harry furiously. Peeves puffed out his cheeks, blew hard, and zoomed backward out of the room, cackling.**

**Harry fumbled for his alarm clock and looked at it. It was half past four. Cursing Peeves, he rolled over and tried to get back to sleep, but it was very difficult, now that he was awake, **

"Understandable," Peter said, "Whenever James and Sirius do it to me, I can never sleep."

**To ignore the sounds of the thunder rumbling overhead, the pounding of the wind against the castle walls, and the distant creaking of the trees in the Forbidden Forest. In a few hours he would be out on the Quidditch field, battling through that gale. Finally, he gave up any thought of more sleep, got up, dressed, picked up his Nimbus Two Thousand, and walked quietly out of the dormitory.**

**As Harry opened the door, something brushed against his leg. He bent down just in time to grab Crookshanks by the end of his bushy tail and drag him outside.**

"**You know, I reckon Ron was right about you," Harry told Crookshanks suspiciously. "There are plenty of mice around this place — go and chase them. Go on," he added, nudging Crookshanks down the spiral staircase with his foot. "Leave Scabbers alone."**

Peter scowled.

James threw a warning look at him.

**The noise of the storm was even louder in the common room. Harry knew better than to think the match would be canceled; Quidditch matches weren't called off for trifles like thunderstorms. Nevertheless, he was starting to feel very apprehensive. Wood had pointed out Cedric Diggory to him in the corridor; Diggory was a fifth year and a lot bigger than Harry. Seekers were usually light and speedy, but Diggory's weight would be an advantage in this weather because he was less likely to be blown off course.**

"Good to break down your opponent, Har," James said, "But don't let him intimidate you. Use it to look for his weaknesses!"

**Harry whiled away the hours until dawn in front of the fire, getting up every now and then to stop Crookshanks from sneaking up the boys' staircase again. At long last Harry thought it must be time for breakfast, so he headed through the portrait hole alone.**

"**Stand and fight, you mangy cur!" yelled Sir Cadogan.**

"Shut Up!" Sirius snapped

"**Oh, shut up," Harry yawned.**

**He revived a bit over a large bowl of porridge, and by the time he'd started on toast, the rest of the team had turned up.**

"**It's going to be a tough one," said Wood, who wasn't eating anything.**

"**Stop worrying, Oliver," said Alicia soothingly, "we don't mind a bit of rain."**

**But it was considerably more than a bit of rain. Such was the popularity of Quidditch that the whole school turned out to watch the match as usual, but they ran down the lawns toward the Quidditch field, heads bowed against the ferocious wind, umbrellas being whipped out of their hands as they went. just before he entered the locker room, Harry saw Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, laughing and pointing at him from under an enormous umbrella on their way to the stadium.**

"Gits."

**The team changed into their scarlet robes and waited for Wood's usual pre-match pep talk, but it didn't come. He tried to speak several times, made an odd gulping noise, then shook his head hopelessly and beckoned them to follow him.**

**The wind was so strong that they staggered sideways as they walked out onto the field. If the crowd was cheering, they couldn't hear it over the fresh rolls of thunder. Rain was splattering over Harry's glasses. How on earth was he going to see the Snitch in this?**

**The Hufflepuffs were approaching from the opposite side of the field, wearing canary-yellow robes. The Captains walked up to each other and shook hands; Diggory smiled at Wood but Wood now looked as though he had lockjaw and merely nodded. Harry saw Madam Hooch's mouth form the words, "Mount Your brooms." He pulled his right foot out of the mud with a squelch and swung it over his Nimbus Two Thousand. Madam Hooch put her whistle to her lips and gave it a blast that sounded shrill and distant — they were off.**

**Harry rose fast, but his Nimbus was swerving slightly with the wind. He held it as steady as he could and turned, squinting into the rain.**

"That's not good, could you see at all?" James asked.

"No not really."

"Damn!" James whined, "How're you going to catch the snitch if you can't see!"

**Within five minutes Harry was soaked to his skin and frozen, hardly able to see his teammates, let alone the tiny Snitch. He flew backward and forward across the field past blurred red and yellow shapes, with no idea of what was happening in the rest of the game. He couldn't hear the commentary over the wind. The crowd was hidden beneath a sea of cloaks and battered umbrellas. Twice Harry came very close to being unseated by a Bludger; his vision was so clouded by the rain on his glasses he hadn't seen them coming.**

**He lost track of time. It was getting harder and harder to hold his broom straight. The sky was getting darker, as though night had decided to come early. Twice Harry nearly hit another player, without knowing whether it was a teammate or opponent; everyone was now so wet, and the rain so thick, he could hardly tell them apart…**

The Quidditch players groaned in sympathy

**With the first flash of lightning came the sound of Madam Hooch's whistle; Harry could just see the outline of Wood through the thick rain, gesturing him to the ground. The whole team splashed down into the mud.**

"**I called for time-out!" Wood roared at his team. "Come on, under here —"**

**They huddled at the edge of the field under a large umbrella; Harry took off his glasses and wiped them hurriedly on his robes.**

"**What's the score?"**

"**We're fifty points up," said Wood, "but unless we get the Snitch soon, we'll be playing into the night."**

"**I've got no chance with these on," Harry said exasperatedly, waving his glasses.**

**At that very moment, Hermione appeared at his shoulder; she was holding her cloak over her head and was, inexplicably, beaming.**

"Yes! Hermione will fix this!" Sirius cheered

**"I've had an idea, Harry! Give me your glasses, quick!"**

**He handed them to her, and as the team watched in amazement, Hermione tapped them with her wand and said, "Impervius!"**

"Ah, good spell," James said impress.

"**There!" she said, handing them back to Harry. "They'll repel water!"**

**Wood looked as though he could have kissed her.**

**"Brilliant!" he called hoarsely after her as she disappeared into the crowd. "Okay, team, let's go for it!"**

**Hermione's spell had done the trick. Harry was still numb with cold, still wetter than he'd ever been in his life, but he could see. Full of fresh determination, he urged his broom through the turbulent air, staring in every direction for the Snitch, avoiding a Bludger, ducking beneath Diggory, who was streaking in the opposite direction…**

**There was another clap of thunder, followed immediately by forked lightning. This was getting more and more dangerous. Harry needed to get the Snitch quickly —**

**He turned, intending to head back toward the middle of the field, but at that moment, another flash of lightning illuminated the stands, and Harry saw something that distracted him completely, the silhouette of an enormous shaggy black dog, clearly imprinted against the sky, motionless in the topmost, empty row of seats.**

"I came to watch him!" Sirius said smiling.

"Thanks Padfoot," James smiled. "But did you have to scare him?"

"Sorry," Sirius said sheepishly.

**Harry's numb hands slipped on the broom handle and his Nimbus dropped a few feet. Shaking his sodden bangs out of his eyes, he squinted back into the stands. The dog had vanished.**

"**Harry!" came Wood's anguished yell from the Gryffindor goal posts. "Harry, behind you!"**

**Harry looked wildly around. Cedric Diggory was pelting up the field, and a tiny speck of gold was shimmering in the rain-filled air between them…**

**With a jolt of panic, Harry threw himself flat to the broom handle and zoomed toward the Snitch.**

"**Come on!" he growled at his Nimbus as the rain whipped his face. "Faster!"**

**But something odd was happening. An eerie silence was falling across the stadium. The wind, though as strong as ever, was forgetting to roar. It was as though someone had turned off the sound, as though Harry had gone suddenly deaf — what was going on?**

"NOOOO," Lily, James, Sirius and Remus shouted.

"Dementors," Snape said paling.

Peter groaned, "Can't one chapter go without you almost getting hurt!"

**And then a horribly familiar wave of cold swept over him, inside him, just as he became aware of something moving on the field below…**

**Before he'd had time to think, Harry had taken his eyes off the Snitch and looked down.**

**At least a hundred Dementors, their hidden faces pointing up at him, were standing beneath him. It was as though freezing water were rising in his chest, cutting at his insides. And then he heard it again… Someone was screaming, screaming inside his head… a woman…**

"**Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!"**

"**Stand aside, you silly girl… stand aside, now…"**

"**Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead —"**

Lily gasped at that and stared at her son, "You hear me..." Harry nodded to her and she got up and hugged him, "I'm so sorry."

Harry didn't have anything to say to that; it wasn't her fault after all, so he just hugged her back.

**Numbing, swirling white mist was filling Harry's brain… What was he doing? Why was he flying? He needed to help her… She was going to die… She was going to be murdered…**

**He was falling, falling through the icy mist.**

"**Not Harry! Please… have mercy… have mercy…"**

**A shrill voice was laughing, the woman was screaming, and Harry knew no more.**

"Harry what happen?" Lily said between her sobs.

"You'll see," Harry said in a heavy voice.

"**Lucky the ground was so soft."**

"**I thought he was dead for sure."**

"**But he didn't even break his glasses."**

**Harry could hear the voices whispering, but they made no sense whatsoever. He didn't have a clue where he was, or how he'd got there, or what he'd been doing before he got there. All he knew was that every inch of him was aching as though it had been beaten.**

"You fell off you broom."

"**That was the scariest thing I've ever seen in my life."**

**Scariest… the scariest thing… hooded black figures… cold… screaming…**

**Harry's eyes snapped open. He was lying in the hospital wing. The Gryffindor Quidditch team, spattered with mud from head to foot, was gathered around his bed. Ron and Hermione were also there, looking as though they'd just climbed out of a swimming pool.**

"You really have good friends," Peter said, almost wistfully.

"Hey!" James cried, "What are we? Chopped Liver?"

"**Harry!" said Fred, who looked extremely white underneath, the mud. "How're you feeling?"**

**It was as though Harry's memory was on fast forward. The lightning… the Grim… the Snitch… and the Dementors…**

"**What happened?" he said, sitting up so suddenly they all gasped.**

"**You fell off," said Fred. "Must've been — what — fifty feet?"**

"Fifty feet, Merlin are you okay?" Lily exclaimed.

"Yeah mum."

"**We thought you'd died," said Alicia, who was shaking.**

**Hermione made a small, squeaky noise. Her eyes were extremely bloodshot.**

"**But the match," said Harry. "What happened? Are we doing a replay?"**

"Boys, why do you care about the match, you nearly died," Lily admonished.

"Yeah, but I knew I was okay so I care more about what happen in the match. Now if it was someone else that nearly died..."

"Humph..."

**No one said anything. The horrible truth sank into Harry like a stone.**

"**We didn't — lose?"**

"**Diggory got the Snitch," said George. "Just after you fell. He didn't realize what had happened. When he looked back and saw you on the ground, he tried to call it off. Wanted a rematch. But they won fair and square… even Wood admits it."**

"Oh, poor Wood," James sighed

"They're still in the running for the cup, James," Remus reminded him, "It'll be all right."

"**Where is Wood?" said Harry, suddenly realizing he wasn't there.**

"**Still in the showers," said Fred. "We think he's trying to drown himself."**

**Harry put his face to his knees, his hands gripping his hair. Fred grabbed his shoulder and shook it roughly.**

"**C'mon, Harry, you've never missed the Snitch before."**

"First time sucks the hardest,"

"**There had to be one time you didn't get it," said George.**

"**It's not over yet," said Fred. "We lost by a hundred points."**

"**Right? So if Hufflepuff loses to Ravenclaw and we beat Ravenclaw and Slytherin…"**

"**Hufflepuff'll have to lose by at least two hundred points," said George.**

"**But if they beat Ravenclaw…"**

"**No way, Ravenclaw is too good. But if Slytherin loses against Hufflepuff…"**

"**It all depends on the points — a margin of a hundred either way —"**

**Harry lay there, not saying a word. They had lost… for the first time ever, he had lost a Quidditch match.**

"It's all right, I mean how could you stand up to Dementors?" Lily soothed

"I'm over it now, Mum," Harry insisted.

**After ten minutes or so, Madam Pomfrey came over to tell the team to leave him in peace.**

"**We'll come and see you later," Fred told him. "Don't beat yourself up Harry, you're still the best Seeker we've ever had."**

**The team trooped out, trailing mud behind them. Madam Pomfrey shut the door behind them, looking disapproving. Ron and Hermione moved nearer to Harry's bed.**

"**Dumbledore was really angry," Hermione said in a quaking voice. "I've never seen him like that before. He ran onto the field as you fell, waved his wand, and you sort of slowed down before you hit the ground. Then he whirled his wand at the Dementors. Shot silver stuff at them. They left the stadium right away… He was furious they'd come onto the grounds. We heard him —"**

"Thank Merlin Dumbledore was there," Lily said quietly.

"**Then he magicked you onto a stretcher," said Ron. "And walked up to school with you floating on it. Everyone thought you were…"**

James and Lily shivered at the thought, not their little boy…

**His voice faded, but Harry hardly noticed. He was thinking about what the Dementors had done to him… about the screaming voice. He looked up and saw Ron and Hermione looking at him so anxiously that he quickly cast around for something matter-of-fact to say.**

"**Did someone get my Nimbus?"**

**Ron and Hermione looked quickly at each other.**

"**Er —"**

"What happen to your broom?" James asked.

"**What?" said Harry, looking from one to the other.**

"**Well… when you fell off, it got blown away," said Hermione hesitantly.**

"**And?"**

"**And it hit — it hit — oh, Harry — it hit the Whomping Willow."**

"Crap."

**Harry's insides lurched. The Whomping Willow was a very violent tree that stood alone in the middle of the grounds.**

"**And?" he said, dreading the answer.**

"**Well, you know the Whomping Willow," said Ron. "It — it doesn't like being hit."**

"**Professor Flitwick brought it back just before you came around," said Hermione in a very small voice.**

**Slowly, she reached down for a bag at her feet, turned it upside down, and tipped a dozen bits of splintered wood and twig onto the bed, the only remains of Harry's faithful, finally beaten broomstick.**

"NOOOOO!"

* * *

**A/N: DONE! Next chapter is "The Marauders Map"! YAY!**

**PS: Anyone else experiencing uploading issues?  
**


	16. The Marauder Map

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Warning: Au and Slash**

**Reading the Future with the Marauders (Plus Lily and Snape)**

**Chapter: The Marauder Map**

* * *

"_NOOOOO!"_

"God damn it Potter!" Snape cried, "SHUT. UP!"

James jaw shut with a click and he pouted.

Beside him, Sirius proceeded to mouth _thank you _to his previous long-standing rival as Remus rubbed his ears in dismay.

"Jesus Prongs," Remus groaned, "Did you forget the sensitive hearing!"

"Sorry," James said, sheepishly.

Snape frowned and shared a look with Lily. They both knew that Remus had an incurable disease that often put him in the hospital, but that was all they knew while Harry and the other Marauders seemed to have a better idea. They were seriously starting to get tired of being out of the loop. The boys may think they're so slick, but Lily and Severus had seen the looks and the whispers and were itching to figure it out. They were really too nosy for their own good.

"So who wants to read?" Peter asked

"Sirius hasn't," Snape pointed out.

Sirius pouted, "But I don't like reading!"

James sighed, "Just read the damn book, Padfoot!"

"Fine," Sirius pouted, "Meanies!" he cried grabbing he book and flipping to the appropriate page, looking every the picture of a child who had been denied a cookie before dinner.

**"The Marauder's Map," **

James and Sirius shared a knowing look, identical evil smiles on their faces.

**Madam Pomfrey insisted on keeping Harry in the hospital wing for the rest of the weekend. He didn't argue or complain, but he wouldn't let her throw away the shattered remnants of his Nimbus Two Thousand. He knew he was being stupid, knew that the Nimbus was beyond repair, but Harry couldn't help it; he felt as though he'd lost one of his best friends.**

**He had a stream of visitors, all intent on cheering him up. Hagrid sent him a bunch of earwiggy flowers that looked like yellow cabbages, and Ginny Weasley, blushing furiously, turned up with a get-well card she had made herself, which sang shrilly unless Harry kept it shut under his bowl of fruit. **

"Aaww," Sirius teased as the other boys snickered.

"Be nice, I think its sweet," Lily said

"Even if it's only because he's famous?" James asked

"I doubt that's the only reason," Lily justified

**The Gryffindor team visited again on Sunday morning, this time accompanied by Wood, who told Harry (in a hollow, dead sort of voice) that he didn't blame him in the slightest. Ron and Hermione left Harry's bedside only at night. But nothing anyone said or did could make Harry feel any better, because they knew only half of what was troubling him.**

**He hadn't told anyone about the Grim, not even Ron and Hermione, **

"Why?" Peter asked

"Just read," Harry said

**because he knew Ron would panic and Hermione would scoff. **

"Ah…"

**The fact remained, however, that it had now appeared twice, and both appearances had been followed by near-fatal accidents; the first time, he had nearly been run over by the Knight Bus; the second, fallen fifty feet from his broomstick. Was the Grim going to haunt him until he actually died? Was he going to spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder for the beast?**

Sirius pouted feeling bad for making his little godson all paranoid.

**And then there were the Dementors. Harry felt sick and humiliated every time he thought of them. Everyone said the Dementors were horrible, but no one else collapsed every time they went near one. No one else heard echoes in their head of their dying parents.**

"It isn't your fault," Lily sighed

"I know now, Mum," Harry assured her.

**Because Harry knew who that screaming voice belonged to now. He had heard her words, heard them over and over again during the night hours in the hospital wing while he lay awake, staring at the strips of moonlight on the ceiling. When the Dementors approached him, he heard the last moments of his mother's life, her attempts to protect him, Harry, from Lord Voldemort, and Voldemort's laughter before he murdered her… Harry dozed fitfully, sinking into dreams full of clammy, rotted hands and petrified pleading, jerking awake to dwell again on his mother's voice.**

Everyone looked away knowing Harry would hate the looks of pity. They couldn't help it though. No thirteen year old child should have to go through something like that. Stupid Dementors.

**It was a relief to return to the noise and bustle of the main school on Monday, where he was forced to think about other things, even if he had to endure Draco Malfoy's taunting. Malfoy was almost beside himself with glee at Gryffindor's defeat. He had finally taken off his bandages, and celebrated having the full use of both arms again by doing spirited imitations of Harry falling off his broom. Malfoy spent much of their next Potions class doing Dementor imitations across the dungeon; Ron finally cracked and flung a large, slippery crocodile heart at Malfoy, which hit him in the face and caused Snape to take fifty points from Gryffindor.**

Sirius looked over the book to give Snape an evil glare.

"I know, I know, I'm an ass. Can we please move on," Snape said with a roll of his eyes, "My bookself is going to keeping being one too."

**"If Snape's teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts again, I'm skiving off," said Ron as they headed toward Lupin's classroom after lunch. "Check who's in there, Hermione."**

**Hermione peered around the classroom door.**

"**It's okay!"**

**Professor Lupin was back at work. **

"YAY!" The Marauders all cheered

**It certainly looked as though he had been ill. His old robes were hanging more loosely on him and there were dark shadows beneath his eyes; nevertheless, he smiled at the class as they took their seats, and they burst at once into an explosion of complaints about Snape's behavior while Lupin had been ill.**

"**It's not fair, he was only filling in, why should he give us homework?"**

"Substitute teachers can give homework," Lily said, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean we have to like it," James said bitterly, thinking about the Vampire essay he was supposed to be finishing today but hadn't.

"**We don't know anything about werewolves —"**

"— **two rolls of parchment!"**

"**Did you tell Professor Snape we haven't covered them yet?" Lupin asked, frowning slightly.**

"Yes, but he was being an ass, as he himself put it," James told the book.

**The babble broke out again.**

"**Yes, but he said we were really behind —"**

"— **he wouldn't listen —"**

"— **two rolls of parchment!"**

"We get it, it was long," Lily snickered

**Professor Lupin smiled at the look of indignation on every face.**

"**Don't worry. I'll speak to Professor Snape. You don't have to do the essay."**

"**Oh no," said Hermione, looking very disappointed. "I've already finished it!"**

Remus looked pale, he was dead. He was so dead.

**They had a very enjoyable lesson. Professor Lupin had brought along a glass box containing a Hinkypunk, a little one-legged creature who looked as though he were made of wisps of smoke, rather frail and harmless looking.**

"**Lures travelers into bogs," said Professor Lupin as they took notes. "You notice the lantern dangling from his hand? Hops ahead — people follow the light — then —"**

**The Hinkypunk made a horrible squelching noise against the glass.**

**When the bell rang, everyone gathered up their things and headed for the door, Harry among them, but —**

"**Wait a moment, Harry," Lupin called. "I'd like a word."**

"Great, maybe if you ask about the Dememntors, I can tell you it isn't your fault and your thoughts will be less depressing!" Remus smiled

**Harry doubled back and watched Professor Lupin covering the Hinkypunk's box with a cloth.**

**"I heard about the match," said Lupin, turning back to his desk and starting to pile books into his briefcase, "and I'm sorry about your broomstick. Is there any chance of fixing it?"**

"**No," said Harry. "The tree smashed it to bits."**

James sighed sadly, he could still remember his first broom. A comet 360…he missed that old thing though he did love his Nimbus 1005

**Lupin sighed.**

"**They planted the Whomping Willow the same year that I arrived at Hogwarts. People used to play a game, trying to get near enough to touch the trunk. In the end, a boy called Davey Gudgeon nearly lost an eye,**

"The idiot that he was, no one felt bad for him but Remus," Snape said

**and we were forbidden to go near it. No broomstick would have a chance."**

"**Did you hear about the Dementors too?" said Harry with difficulty.**

**Lupin looked at him quickly.**

"**Yes, I did. I don't think any of us have seen Professor Dumbledore that angry. They have been growing restless for some time… furious at his refusal to let them inside the grounds… I suppose they were the reason you fell?"**

"Stupid Dementors."

"**Yes," said Harry. He hesitated, and then the question he had to ask burst from him before he could stop himself. "Why? Why do they affect me like that? Am I just —?"**

"**It has nothing to do with weakness," said Professor Lupin sharply, as though he had read Harry's mind. "The Dementors affect you worse than the others because there are horrors in your past that the others don't have."**

**A ray of wintry sunlight fell across the classroom, illuminating Lupin's gray hairs and the lines on his young face.**

"**Dementors are among the foulest creatures that walk this earth. They infest the darkest, filthiest places, they glory in decay and despair, they drain peace, hope, and happiness out of the air around them. Even Muggles feel their presence, though they can't see them. Get too near a Dementor and every good feeling, every happy memory will be sucked out of you. If it can, the Dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to something like itself — soul-less and evil. You'll be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life. And the worst that happened to you, Harry, is enough to make anyone fall off their broom. You have nothing to feel ashamed of."**

"Listen to him Harry," Lily said, she didn't want her son brooding anymore.

"**When they get near me —" Harry stared at Lupin's desk, his throat tight. "I can hear Voldemort murdering my mum."**

**Lupin made a sudden motion with his arm as though to grip Harry's shoulder, but thought better of it. There was a moment's silence, then —**

"That must have been hard for me to hear," Remus said sadly.

"**Why did they have to come to the match?" said Harry bitterly.**

"**They're getting hungry," said Lupin coolly, shutting his briefcase with a snap. "Dumbledore won't let them into the school, so their supply of human prey has dried up… I don't think they could resist the large crowd around the Quidditch field. All that excitement… emotions running high… it was their idea of a feast."**

"That's sick."

"**Azkaban must be terrible," Harry muttered. Lupin nodded grimly.**

"**The fortress is set on a tiny island, way out to sea, but they don't need walls and water to keep the prisoners in, not when they're all trapped inside their own heads, incapable of a single cheery thought. Most of them go mad within weeks."**

"**But Sirius Black escaped from them," Harry said slowly. "He got away…"**

**Lupin's briefcase slipped from the desk; he had to stoop quickly to catch it.**

"You must be hurting so much, Moons," James said sadly

"**Yes," he said, straightening up, "Black must have found a way to fight them. I wouldn't have believed it possible… Dementors are supposed to drain a wizard of his powers if he is left with them too long…"**

Sirius looked very pale at this; he hated any mention of Azkaban and his stay there.

James growled

**"You made that Dementor on the train back off," said Harry suddenly.**

"**There are — certain defenses one can use," said Lupin. "But there was only one Dementor on the train. The more there are, the more difficult it becomes to resist."**

"**What defenses?" said Harry at once. "Can you teach me?"**

"**I don't pretend to be an expert at fighting Dementors, Harry — quite the contrary…"**

"**But if the Dementors come to another Quidditch match, I need to be able to fight them —"**

"Teach him Professor Moony, he needs the help," Sirius said.

"But the Patrouns Charm is very difficult to learn," Remus said.

"He can do it!" Lily encouraged

**Lupin looked into Harry's determined face, hesitated, then said, "Well… all right. I'll try and help. But it'll have to wait until next term, I'm afraid. I have a lot to do before the holidays. I chose a very inconvenient time to fall ill."**

"You never chose to be ill." Snape said

"What?" Remus asked

"It is physically impossible to choose to be ill," Snape explained, "Unless you poison yourself"

**What with the promise of anti-Dementor lessons from Lupin, the thought that he might never have to hear his mother's death again, and the fact that Ravenclaw flattened Hufflepuff in their Quidditch match at the end of November, Harry's mood took a definite upturn. Gryffindor were not out of the running after all, **

"Yes," James cheered.

**Although they could not afford to lose another match. Wood became repossessed of his manic energy, and worked his team as hard as ever in the chilly haze of rain that persisted into December. Harry saw no hint of a Dementor within the grounds. Dumbledore's anger seemed to be keeping them at their stations at the entrances.**

**Two weeks before the end of the term, the sky lightened suddenly to a dazzling, opaline white and the muddy grounds were revealed one morning covered in glittering frost. Inside the castle, there was a buzz of Christmas in the air. Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, had already decorated his classroom with shimmering lights that turned out to be real, fluttering fairies. The students were all happily discussing their plans for the holidays. Both Ron and Hermione had decided to remain at Hogwarts, and though Ron said it was because he couldn't stand two weeks with Percy, **

"A valid point."

"Leave him alone!"

"Let it go, Seer!"

**And**** Hermione insisted she needed to use the library, Harry wasn't fooled; they were doing it to keep him company, and he was very grateful.**

"Good friends," Lily smiled

"The best." Harry agreed

**To everyone's delight except Harry's, there was to be another Hogsmeade trip on the very last weekend of the term.**

**"We can do all our Christmas shopping there!" said Hermione. "Mum and Dad would really love those Toothflossing Stringmints from Honeydukes!"**

**Resigned to the fact that he would be the only third year staying behind again, Harry borrowed a copy of Which Broomstick from Wood, and decided to spend the day reading up on the different makes. He had been riding one of the school brooms at team practice, an ancient Shooting Star, which was very slow and jerky; he definitely needed a new broom of his own.**

"Just get a Firebolt already Harry," James shouted.

"I bet I get him one," Sirius said suddenly smiling.

"What? How?" James asked, but he too was smiling now; if anyone could get his son a Firebolt while being suspected of being the worse criminal out there, it was his best mate.

"Don't know, but I'll figure it out," Sirius beamed.

"What are you going to do, steal it," Peter said laughing. "There's no way anyone would sell you one."

"Two Galleons says I do," Sirius huffed; no one doubts his ability to do the impossible (he even broke out of Azkaban for crying out loud).

"Alright."

"You guys bet a lot," Harry observed

"It's a habit," they chorused

**On the Saturday morning of the Hogsmeade trip, Harry bid good-bye to Ron and Hermione, who were wrapped in cloaks and scarves, then turned up the marble staircase alone, and headed back toward Gryffindor Tower. Snow had started to fall outside the windows, and the castle was very still and quiet.**

"**Psst — Harry!"**

**He turned, halfway along the third-floor corridor, to see Fred and George peering out at him from behind a statue of a humpbacked, one-eyed witch.**

"**What are you doing?" said Harry curiously. "How come you're not going to Hogsmeade?"**

"**We've come to give you a bit of festive cheer before we go," said Fred, with a mysterious wink. "Come in here…"**

"Please let it be what I think it is!" James squealed

**He nodded toward an empty classroom to the left of the one-eyed statue. Harry followed Fred and George inside. George closed the door quietly and then turned, beaming, to look at Harry.**

"**Early Christmas present for you, Harry," he said.**

**Fred pulled something from inside his cloak with a flourish and laid it on one of the desks. It was a large, square, very worn piece of parchment with nothing written on it. Harry, suspecting one of Fred and George's jokes, stared at it.**

"Yes," The marauder all cheered

"What is it?' Snape asked, but no one paid him any mind as Sirius read on excitedly

"**What's that supposed to be?"**

"**This, Harry, is the secret of our success," said George, patting the parchment fondly.**

"**It's a wrench, giving it to you," said Fred, "but we decided last night, your need's greater than ours."**

"They are so…so kind," James fake wept

"Agreed, pure saints to be giving up something of that value," Remus called dramatically

"I'd never be able to do it," Peter agreed solemly

"**Anyway, we know it by heart," said George. "We bequeath it to you. We don't really need it anymore."**

"**And what do I need with a bit of old parchment?" said Harry.**

"**A bit of old parchment!" said Fred, closing his eyes with a grimace as though Harry had mortally offended him. "Explain, George."**

"**Well… when we were in our first year, Harry — young, carefree, and innocent —"**

"I doubt they were very innocent," James scoffed.

**Harry snorted. He doubted whether Fred and George had ever been innocent.**

" — **well, more innocent than we are now — we got into a spot of bother with Filch."**

"**We let off a Dungbomb in the corridor and it upset him for some reason —"**

"**So he hauled us off to his office and started threatening us with the usual —"**

"— **detention —"**

"— **disembowelment —"**

"— **and we couldn't help noticing a drawer in one of his filing cabinets marked Confiscated and Highly Dangerous."**

"What I want to know is what true prankster can!"

"**Don't tell me —" said Harry, starting to grin.**

**"Well, what would you've done?" said Fred. "George caused a diversion by dropping another Dungbomb, I whipped the drawer open, and grabbed — this."**

"**It's not as bad as it sounds, you know," said George. "We don't reckon Filch ever found out how to work it. He probably suspected what it was, though, or he wouldn't have confiscated it."**

"**And you know how to work it?"**

"**Oh yes," said Fred, smirking. "This little beauty's taught us more than all the teachers in this school."**

"You're welcome!" the marauders cried

"**You're winding me up," said Harry, looking at the ragged old bit of parchment.**

**"Oh, are we?" said George.**

**He took out his wand, touched the parchment lightly, and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."**

**And at once, thin ink lines began to spread like a spider's web from the point that George's wand had touched. They joined each other, they crisscrossed, they fanned into every corner of the parchment; then words began to blossom across the top, great, curly green words, that proclaimed:**

**Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs**

**Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present**

**THE MARAUDER'S MAP**

**It was a map showing every detail of the Hogwarts castle and grounds. But the truly remarkable thing were the tiny ink dots moving around it, each labeled with a name in minuscule writing. **

"That would be mine," Sirius said proudly.

"You have such girly writing, Pads," James teased

Sirius wacked him on the back of his head with the book.

**Astounded, Harry bent over it. A labeled dot in the top left corner showed that Professor Dumbledore was pacing his study; the caretaker's cat, Mrs. Norris, was prowling the second floor; and Peeves the Poltergeist was currently bouncing around the trophy room. And as Harry's eyes traveled up and down the familiar corridors, he noticed something else.**

"That is brilliant," Lily complemented, "That is quite a feat."

"We know," Sirius said smugly

**This map showed a set of passages he had never entered. And many of them seemed to lead —**

"Let me guess Hogsmead," Lily said

"Exactly," Remus smiled

"I think they're escape routes in case of like an attack," James said

"I guess seeing as back then witches and wizards were being hunted down and all," Snape agreed

"**Right into Hogsmeade," said Fred, tracing one of them with his finger. "There are seven in all. Now, Filch knows about these four" — **

"Damn, he must have found another one."

**he pointed them out — "but we're sure we're the only ones who know about these. Don't bother with the one behind the mirror on the fourth floor. We used it until last winter, but it's caved in — completely blocked. **

"That sucks, that was a good one too."

**And we don't reckon anyone's ever used this one, because the Whomping Willow's planted right over the entrance. **

"No, no one has ever used that one," Sirius laughed as the other marauders grinned.

**But this one here, this one leads right into the cellar of Honeydukes. We've used it loads of times. And as you might've noticed, the entrance is right outside this room, through that one-eyed old crone's hump."**

"**Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs," sighed George, patting the heading of the map. "We owe them so much."**

"**Noble men, working tirelessly to help a new generation of lawbreakers," said Fred solemnly.**

"And our Legend continues."

Lily groaned, "More trouble makers…"

"**Right," said George briskly. "Don't forget to wipe it after you've used it —"**

"— **or anyone can read it," Fred said warningly.**

"**Just tap it again and say, 'Mischief managed!' And it'll go blank."**

"**So, young Harry," said Fred, in an uncanny impersonation of Percy, "mind you behave yourself."**

"**See you in Honeydukes," said George, winking.**

**They left the room, both smirking in a satisfied sort of way.**

**Harry stood there, gazing at the miraculous map. He watched the tiny ink Mrs. Norris turn left and pause to sniff at something on the floor. If Filch really didn't know… he wouldn't have to pass the Dementors at all…**

**But even as he stood there, flooded with excitement, something Harry had once heard Mr. Weasley say came floating out of his memory.**

**Never trust anything that can think for itself, if you can't see where it keeps its brain.**

"It's safe," Sirius said

"The most harm it can do is bruise some egos," Remus added

**This map was one of those dangerous magical objects Mr. Weasley had been warning against… Aids for Magical Mischief Makers… but then, Harry reasoned, he only wanted to use it to get into Hogsmeade, it wasn't as though he wanted to steal anything or attack anyone… and Fred and George had been using it for years without anything horrible happening…**

**Harry traced the secret passage to Honeydukes with his finger.**

**Then, quite suddenly, as though following orders, he rolled up the map, stuffed it inside his robes, and hurried to the door of the classroom. He opened it a couple of inches. There was no one outside. Very carefully, he edged out of the room and behind the statue of the one-eyed witch.**

**What did he have to do? He pulled out the map again and saw to his astonishment, that a new ink figure had appeared upon it, labeled 'Harry Potter'. This figure was standing exactly where the real Harry was standing, about halfway down the third-floor corridor. Harry watched carefully. His little Ink self appeared to be tapping the witch with his minute wand. Harry quickly took out his real wand and tapped the statue. Nothing happened. He looked back at the map. The tiniest speech bubble had appeared next to his figure. The word inside said, **'Dissendium.'

"How'd you figure that all out," Lily asked

"One should never reveal all their secrets," James said

"**Dissendium!" Harry whispered, tapping the stone witch again.**

**At once, the statue's hump opened wide enough to admit a fairly thin person. Harry glanced quickly up and down the corridor, then tucked the map away again, hoisted himself into the hole headfirst, and pushed himself forward.**

**He slid a considerable way down what felt like a stone slide, then landed on cold, damp earth. He stood up, looking around. It was pitch dark. He held up his wand, muttered, "Lumos!" and saw that he was in a very narrow, low, earthy passageway. He raised the map, tapped it with the tip of his wand, and muttered, "Mischief managed!" The map went blank at once. He folded it carefully, tucked it inside his robes, then, heart beating fast, both excited and apprehensive, he set off.**

**The passage twisted and turned, more like the burrow of a giant rabbit than anything else. Harry hurried along it, stumbling now and then on the uneven floor, holding his wand out in front of him.**

**It took ages, but Harry had the thought of Honeydukes to sustain him. After what felt like anhour, the passage began to rise. Panting, Harry sped up, his face hot, his feet very cold.**

"Just be care about the ending, its hard to see," James warned

**Ten minutes later, he came to the foot of some worn stone steps, which rose out of sight above him. Careful not to make any noise, Harry began to climb. A hundred steps, two hundred steps, he lost count as he climbed, watching his feet… then, without warning, his head hit something hard.**

"See, told you."

**It seemed to be a trapdoor. Harry stood there, massaging the top of his head, listening. He couldn't hear any sounds above him. Very slowly, he pushed the trapdoor open and peered over the edge.**

**He was in a cellar, which was full of wooden crates and boxes. Harry climbed out of the trapdoor and replaced it — it blended so perfectly with the dusty floor that it was impossible to tell it was there. Harry crept slowly toward the wooden staircase that led upstairs. Now he could definitely hear voices, not to mention the tinkle of a bell and the opening and shutting of a door.**

**Wondering what he ought to do, he suddenly heard a door open much closer at hand; somebody was about to come downstairs.**

"**And get another box of Jelly Slugs, dear, they've nearly cleaned us out —" said a woman's voice.**

**A pair of feet was coming down the staircase. Harry leapt behind an enormous crate and waited for the footsteps to pass. He heard the man shifting boxes against the opposite wall. He might not get another chance —**

"You should have brought your cloak, it's much easier that way," James said.

"Sorry dad, but I couldn't bother going back for my cloak when I was that close to the passage way," Harry smiled.

"Understandable," James laugh knowing he wouldn't have had the patients to get the cloak either.

**Quickly and silently, Harry dodged out from his hiding place and climbed the stairs; looking back, he saw an enormous backside and shiny bald head, buried in a box. Harry reached the door at the top of the stairs, slipped through it, and found himself behind the counter of Honeydukes — he ducked, crept sideways, and then straightened up.**

**Honeydukes was so crowded with Hogwarts students that no one looked twice at Harry. He edged among them, looking around, and suppressed a laugh as he imagined the look that would spread over Dudley's piggy face if he could see where Harry was now.**

"You should take a photo so you can show him later."

**There were shelves upon shelves of the most succulent-looking sweets imaginable. Creamy chunks of nougat, shimmering pink squares of coconut ice, fat, honey-colored toffees; hundreds of different kinds of chocolate in neat rows; there was a large barrel of Every Flavor Beans, and another of Fizzing Whizbees, the levitating sherbet balls that Ron had mentioned; along yet another wall were 'Special Effects' — sweets: Droobles Best Blowing Gum (which filled a room with bluebell-colored bubbles that refused to pop for days), the strange, splintery Toothflossing Stringmints, tiny black Pepper Imps ('breathe fire for your friends!'), Ice Mice ('hear your teeth chatter and squeak!'), peppermint creams shaped like toads ('hop realistically in the stomach!'), fragile sugar-spun quills, and exploding bonbons.**

"Ah Harry, why did you have to describe them?" Sirius and Peter huffed

**Harry squeezed himself through a crowd of sixth years and saw a sign hanging in the farthest corner of the shop (UNUSUAL TASTES). Ron and Hermione were standing underneath it, examining a tray of blood-flavored lollipops. Harry sneaked up behind them.**

"**Ugh, no, Harry won't want one of those, they're for vampires, I expect," Hermione **was saying.

"And werewolves," Remus added only half-mindedly

Peter got an odd greenish tint to his face as his eyes glazed over, lost in thought

"**How about these?" said Ron, shoving a jar of Cockroach Clusters under Hermione's nose.**

"**Definitely not," said Harry.**

**Ron nearly dropped the jar.**

"Hah, I wish I saw his face," Sirius grinned

"**Harry!" squealed Hermione. "What are you doing here? How — how did you —?"**

"**Wow!" said Ron, looking very impressed, "you've learned to Apparate!"**

"'**Course I haven't," said Harry. He dropped his voice so that none of the sixth years could hear him and told them all about the Marauder's Map.**

"**How come Fred and George never gave it tome!" said Ron, outraged. "I'm their brother!"**

"Yeah, but Harry's the heir to our legacy," Remus countered

"Don't let us down, son!"

"**But Harry isn't going to keep it!" said Hermione, as though the idea were ludicrous. "He's going to hand it in to Professor McGonagall, aren't you, Harry?"**

"**No, I'm not!" said Harry.**

"**Are you mad?" said Ron, goggling at Hermione. "Hand in something that good?"**

"**If I hand it in, I'll have to say where I got it! Filch would know Fred and George had nicked it!"**

"You know, Harry," Remus observed, "You've been awfully quiet."

Harry just shrugged.

"**But what about Sirius Black?" Hermione hissed. "He could be using one of the passages on that map to get into the castle! The teachers have got to know!"**

"**He can't be getting in through a passage," said Harry quickly. "There are seven secret tunnels on the map, right? Fred and George reckon Filch already knows about four of them. And of the other three — one of them's caved in, so no one can get through it. One of them's got the Whomping Willow planted over the entrance, so you can't get out of it. And the one I just came through — well — it's really hard to see the entrance to it down in the cellar — so unless he knew it was there —"**

**Harry hesitated. What if Black did know the passage was there? Ron, however, cleared his throat significantly, and pointed to a notice pasted on the inside of the sweetshop door.**

**BY ORDER OF THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC**

**Customers are reminded that until further notice, Dementors will be patrolling the streets of Hogsmeade every night after sundown. This measure has been put in place for the safety of Hogsmeade residents and will be lifted upon the recapture of Sirius Black. It is therefore advisable that you complete your shopping well before nightfall.**

**Happy Christmas!**

"How much trouble you stir up," James grinned

"You're welcome," Sirius grinned

"**See?" said Ron quietly. "I'd like to see Black try and break into Honeydukes with Dementors swarming all over the village. Anyway, Hermione, the Honeydukes owners would hear a break-in, wouldn't they? They live over the shop!"**

"**Yes, but — but —" Heroine seemed to be struggling to find another problem. "Look, Harry still shouldn't be coming into Hogsmeade. He hasn't got a signed form! If anyone finds out, he'll be in so much trouble! And it's not nightfall yet — what if Sirius Black turns up today? Now?"**

"Admit that your wrong and let my boy have some fun!" James cried as Remus and Peter cheered 'hear, hear' in the background.

"**He'd have a job spotting Harry in this," said Ron, nodding through the mullioned windows at the thick, swirling snow. **

"You know I wonder where you're staying," Snape said

"Probably freezing my ass off for sure," Sirius hissed, bitterly

**"Come on, Hermione, it's Christmas. Harry deserves a break."**

**Hermione bit her lip, looking extremely worried.**

"Oh can't she just admit that she's wrong already!" Snape cried

"**Are you going to report me?" Harry asked her, grinning.**

"**Oh — of course not — but honestly, Harry —"**

"She really hates not being right," Remus frowned.

"It isn't healthy," Peter agreed

"**Seen the Fizzing Whizbees, Harry?" said Ron, grabbing him and leading him over to their barrel. "And the Jelly Slugs? And the Acid Pops? Fred gave me one of those when I was seven — it burnt a hole right through my tongue. I remember Mum walloping him with her broomstick." Ron stared broodingly into the Acid Pop box. "Reckon Fred'd take a bite of Cockroach Cluster if I told him they were peanuts?"**

"No," Sirius, James and Remus all said.

**When Ron and Hermione had paid for all their sweets, the three of them left Honeydukes for the blizzard outside.**

**Hogsmeade looked like a Christmas card; the little thatched cottages and shops were all covered in a layer of crisp snow; there were holly wreaths on the doors and strings of enchanted candles hanging in the trees.**

"It's always so pretty at Christmas," Lily sighed dreamily

**Harry shivered; unlike the other two, he didn't have his cloak. They headed up the street, heads bowed against the wind, Ron and Hermione shouting through their scarves.**

"**That's the post office —"**

"**Zonko's is up there —"**

"**We could go up to the Shrieking Shack —"**

"**Tell you what," said Ron, his teeth chattering, "shall we go for a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks?"**

"I'd love some actually," James said

"I'll get it," Peter volunteered and went to James' bed.

The others watched as Peter pushed James' trunk out of the way revealing a hidden trap door. Pulling the top off, he grabbed seven bottles of butterbeer before returning everything to its proper place and rejoining the group.

Lily, Snape, and Harry chose not to comment. They were the marauders after all.

**Harry looked darkly at that, this was going to be another tentious chapter.**

**Harry was more than willing; the wind was fierce and his hands were freezing, so they crossed the road, and in a few minutes were entering the tiny inn.**

**It was extremely crowded, noisy, warm, and smoky. A curvy sort of woman with a pretty face was serving a bunch of rowdy warlocks up at the bar.**

"**That's Madam Rosmerta," said Ron. "I'll get the drinks, shall I?" he added, going slightly red.**

"Someone's got a crush." Peter teased

"You're one to talk," Sirius laughed

**Harry and Hermione made their way to the back of the room, where there was a small, vacant table between the window and a handsome Christmas tree, which stood next to the fireplace. Ron came back five minutes later, carrying three foaming tankards of hot butterbeer.**

"**Happy Christmas!" he said happily, raising his tankard.**

**Harry drank deeply. It was the most delicious thing he'd ever tasted and seemed to heat every bit of him from the inside.**

**A sudden breeze ruffled his hair. The door of the Three Broomsticks had opened again. Harry looked over the rim of his tankard and choked.**

**Professors McGonagall and Flitwick had just entered the pub with a flurry of snowflakes, shortly followed by Hagrid, who was deep in conversation with a portly man in a lime-green bowler hat and a pinstriped cloak — Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic.**

"Oh crap, hind pup."

**In an instant, Ron and Hermione had both placed hands on the top of Harry's head and forced him off his stool and under the table. Dripping with butterbeer and crouching out of sight, Harry clutched his empty tankard and watched the teachers' and Fudge's feet move toward the bar, pause, then turn and walk right toward him.**

**Somewhere above him, Hermione whispered, "Mobiliarbus!"**

**The Christmas tree beside their table rose a few inches off the ground, drifted sideways, and landed with a soft thump right in front of their table, hiding them from view. **

"Good thinking Hermione."

**Staring through the dense lower branches, Harry saw four sets of chair legs move back from the table right beside theirs, then heard the grunts and sighs of the teachers and minister as they sat down.**

**Next he saw another pair of feet, wearing sparkly turquoise high heels, and heard a woman's voice.**

"**A small gillywater —"**

Sirius gagged, "A horrible drink."

"Personally I prefer my drinks without the flowery shit," James agreed

"The fact that you're only 15 and know how they taste…" Lily groaned, "And we have a _kid _together?"

"**Mine," said Professor McGonagall's voice.**

"**Four pints of mulled mead —"**

"**Ta, Rosmerta," said Hagrid.**

"**A cherry syrup and soda with ice and umbrella —"**

"**Mmm!" said Professor Flitwick, smacking his lips.**

"Such a girly drink," Peter laughed

"Drinks are not determined by gender," Lily snorted

"Actually," Snape stared

Lily glared at him, "Shut up."

"**So you'll be the red currant rum, Minister."**

"**Thank you, Rosmerta, m'dear," said Fudge's voice. "Lovely to see you again, I must say. Have one yourself, won't you? Come and join us…"**

"**Well, thank you very much, Minister."**

**Harry watched the glittering heels march away and back again. His heart was pounding uncomfortably in his throat. Why hadn't it occurred to him that this was the last weekend of term for the teachers too? And how long were they going to sit there? He needed time to sneak back into Honeydukes if he wanted to return to school tonight… Hermione's leg gave a nervous twitch next to him.**

"**So, what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister?" came Madam Rosmerta's voice.**

**Harry saw the lower part of Fudge's thick body twist in his chair as though he were checking for eavesdroppers. Then he said in a quiet voice, "What else, m'dear, but Sirius Black? I daresay you heard what happened up at the school at Halloween?"**

Sirius sighed

"**I did hear a rumor," admitted Madam Rosmerta.**

"Oh Hagrid…"

"**Did you tell the whole pub, Hagrid?" said Professor McGonagall exasperatedly.**

"**Do you think Black's still in the area, Minister?" whispered Madam Rosmerta.**

"I'm not stupid, ya know!"

"Could have fooled me,"

"Shut up, Evens!"

"**I'm sure of it," said Fudge shortly.**

"He's an idiot." James rolled his eyes.

Harry laughed, "You have no idea."

"**You know that the Dementors have searched the whole village twice?" said Madam Rosmerta, a slight edge to her voice. "Scared all my customers away… It's very bad for business, Minister."**

"**Rosmerta, dear, I don't like them any more than you do," said Fudge uncomfortably. "Necessary precaution… unfortunate, but there you are… I've just met some of them. They're in a fury against Dumbledore — he won't let them inside the castle grounds."**

"Smart man, Dumbledore,"

"**I should think not," said Professor McGonagall sharply. "How are we supposed to teach with those horrors floating around?"**

"**Hear, hear!" squeaked tiny Professor Flitwick, whose feet were dangling a foot from the ground.**

Remus snorted. Oh, Flitwick was such a character.

"**All the same," demurred Fudge, "they are here to protect you all from something much worse…We all know what Black's capable of…"**

"**Do you know, I still have trouble believing it," said Madam Rosmerta thoughtfully. "Of all the people to go over to the Dark Side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought…I mean, I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd told me then what he was going to become, I'd have said you'd had too much mead."**

"That's nice," Sirius said smiling; he knew he always like her.

**"****You don't know the half of it, Rosmerta," said Fudge gruffly. "The worst he did isn't widely known."**

"Pads, this sounds like some bashing, you want me to read," James volunteered

"It's okay." Sirius said

"**The worst?" said Madam Rosmerta, her voice alive with curiosity. "Worse than murdering all those poor people, you mean?"**

"**I certainly do," said Fudge.**

"**I can't believe that. What could possibly be worse?"**

"**You say you remember him at Hogwarts, Rosmerta," murmured Professor McGonagall. "Do you remember who his best friend was?"**

"Sirius and Remus and Peter," James said

"But me first," Sirius said smugly while the other two rolled their eyes. Even though everyone knew Sirius was joking, it was true.

"**Naturally," said Madam Rosmerta, with a small laugh. "Never saw one without the other, did you? The number of times I had them in here — ooh, they used to make me laugh. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter!"**

**Harry dropped his tankard with a loud clunk. Ron kicked him.**

"This is an awful way for you to find this out," Lily said sadly.

"**Precisely," said Professor McGonagall. "Black and Potter. Ringleaders of their little gang. Both very bright, of course — exceptionally bright, in fact — but I don't think we've ever had such a pair of troublemakers —"**

"**I dunno," chuckled Hagrid. "Fred and George Weasley could give 'em a run fer their money."**

"**You'd have thought Black and Potter were brothers!" chimed in Professor Flitwick. "Inseparable!"**

"We are brothers," James and Sirius said at the same time.

"**Of course they were," said Fudge. "Potter trusted Black beyond all his other friends. Nothing changed when they left school. Black was best man when James married Lily. Then they named him godfather to Harry. **

"Yes, I'm your godfather, pup," Sirius cheered.

"Sirius you already knew that," Lily pointed out.

"Yes, but now it's official."

**Harry has no idea, of course. You can imagine how the idea would torment him."**

**"Because Black turned out to be in league with You-Know-Who?" whispered Madam Rosmerta.**

"I was not!"

"Are you sure you don't want me to read?"

"No!"

"No as in you want me to read or no as in you don't?"

"No as in I don't."

"**Worse even than that, m'dear…" Fudge dropped his voice and proceeded in a sort of low rumble. "Not many people are aware that the Potters knew You-Know-Who was after them.**

"God take about nightmares," James groaned.

There was a pause where everyone waited for Sirius to start reading again before he handed the book to James looking rather pale, "Can you read?"

"Okay," James said taking the book gingerly, worried.

**Dumbledore, who was of course working tirelessly against You-Know-Who, had a number of useful spies. One of them tipped him off, and he alerted James and Lily at once. He advised them to go into hiding. Well, of course, You-Know-Who wasn't an easy person to hide from. Dumbledore told them that their best chance was the Fidelius Charm."**

"Oh," Lily gasped.

Remus paused there for a moment, he could see what happen, of course James would make Sirius his secret keeper; that was the evidence that must have convinced him that Sirius betrayed them. But something most have changed…

"**How does that work?" said Madam Rosmerta, breathless with interest. Professor Flitwick cleared his throat.**

"**An immensely complex spell," he said squeakily, "involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single, living soul. The information is hidden inside the chosen person, or Secret-Keeper, and is henceforth impossible to find — unless, of course, the Secret-Keeper chooses to divulge it. As long as the Secret-Keeper refused to speak, You-Know-Who could search the village where Lily and James were staying for years and never find them, not even if he had his nose pressed against their sitting room window!"**

James made a silent 'oh'

"**So Black was the Potters' Secret-Keeper?" whispered Madam Rosmerta.**

"There's no way that Sirius would tell on me," James huffed

"Maybe they gave me Veritaserum," Sirius said bitterly.

"That wouldn't work," Snape said.

"What, of course it would, it makes you tell the truth?" Peter said.

"Yes, but the Fidelius Charm blocks you from telling anyone while you're under any truth serum. It's why it was so commonly used, because the only way you could get the secret is if the secret-keeper tells you while you're in the right mind," Snape explained.

"**Naturally," said Professor McGonagall. "James Potter told Dumbledore that Black would die rather than tell where they were, that Black was planning to go into hiding himself… and yet, Dumbledore remained worried. I remember him offering to be the Potters' Secret-Keeper himself."**

"Wow, he must really care for us," Lily smiled, trying to lighten the moment, "I feel honored."

"Not the time, Lils," Snape warned

"**He suspected Black?" gasped Madam Rosmerta.**

Sirius moved away from the circle and went and sat by the window, head bowed. Remus got up to go comfort him, but it didn't seem to be working.

James groaned and read on.

"**He was sure that somebody close to the Potters had been keeping You-Know-Who informed of their movements," said Professor McGonagall darkly. "Indeed, he had suspected for some time that someone on our side had turned traitor and was passing a lot of information to You-Know-Who."**

"**But James Potter insisted on using Black?"**

"Of course I would,"

"**He did," said Fudge heavily. "And then, barely a week after the Fidelius Charm had been performed —"**

"**Black betrayed them?" breathed Madam Rosmerta.**

Sirius visibly flinched

"NO!"

"We know James!"

"**He did indeed. Black was tired of his double-agent role, he was ready to declare his support openly for You-Know-Who, and he seems to have planned this for the moment of the Potters' death. But, as we all know, You-Know-Who met his downfall in little Harry Potter. Powers gone, horribly weakened, he fled. And this left Black in a very nasty position indeed. His master had fallen at the very moment when he, Black, had shown his true colors as a traitor. He had no choice but to run for it —"**

Sirius shook his head mouthing 'no'.

Remus pulled him into a hug trying to put himself in his friends shoes… to think if he had been accused of betraying James...

"**Filthy, stinkin' turncoat!" Hagrid said, so loudly that half the bar went quiet.**

"**Shh!" said Professor McGonagall.**

"**I met him!" growled Hagrid. "I musta bin the last ter see him before he killed all them people! It was me what rescued Harry from Lily an' James's house after they was killed! Jus' got him outta the ruins, poor little thing, with a great slash across his forehead, an' his parents dead… an' Sirius Black turns up, on that flyin' motorbike he used ter ride. Never occurred ter me what he was doin' there. I didn' know he'd bin Lily an' James's Secret-Keeper. Thought he'd jus' heard the news o' You-Know-Who's attack an' come ter see what he could do. White an' shakin', he was. An' yeh know what I did? I COMFORTED THE MURDERIN' TRAITOR!" Hagrid roared.**

Sirius hid his face in Remus' shoulder, even Hagrid hated him and Hagrid didn't hate anyone!

"**Hagrid, please!" said Professor McGonagall. "Keep your voice down!"**

"**How was I ter know he wasn' upset abou' Lily an' James? It was You-Know-Who he cared abou'! **

"I did not," Sirius mumbled softly

"I know," Remus said

Harry probably hates me," Sirius whimpered

"I doubt it; he's been so kind…" Remus started

"For James' sake."

Remus thought back to the fight, "Not really."

**An' then he says, 'Give Harry ter me, Hagrid, I'm his godfather, I'll look after him —' Ha! But I'd had me orders from Dumbledore, an' I told Black no, Dumbledore said Harry was ter go ter his aunt an' uncle's. **

"I wish Sirius had taken you," Lily sighed

"Even if he were on the run?" Snape asked

"Better to be loved, right?"

**Black argued, but in the end he gave in. Told me ter take his motorbike ter get Harry there. 'I won't need it anymore,' he says.**

"**I shoulda known there was somethin' fishy goin' on then. He loved that motorbike, what was he givin' it ter me for? Why wouldn' he need it anymore? Fact was, it was too easy ter trace. Dumbledore knew he'd bin the Potters' Secret-Keeper. Black knew he was goin' ter have ter run fer it that night, knew it was a matter o' hours before the Ministry was after him.**

"**But what if I'd given Harry to him, eh? I bet he'd've pitched him off the bike halfway out ter sea. His bes' friends' son! But when a wizard goes over ter the Dark Side, there's nothin' and no one that matters to em anymore…"**

"I wouldn't have," Sirius protested, "But who knows what my future self could have done," he added

**A long silence followed Hagrid's story. Then Madam Rosmerta said with some satisfaction, "But he didn't manage to disappear, did he? The Ministry of Magic caught up with him next day!"**

"**Alas, if only we had," said Fudge bitterly. "It was not we who found him. It was little Peter Pettigrew **

"Me!" Peter squeaked

— **another of the Potters' friends. Maddened by grief, no doubt, and knowing that Black had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper, he went after Black himself."**

"You must have really changed," Remus observed, "Usually you never go after an opponent you know who'll beat you."

"Crazy with grief I guess," Peter shrugged

Harry snorted, but no one, but Snape heard him.

Snape frowned, thinking

"**Pettigrew… that fat little boy who was always tagging around after them at Hogwarts?" said Madam Rosmerta.**

"**Hero — worshipped Black and Potter," said Professor McGonagall. "Never quite in their league, talent-wise. I was often rather sharp with him. You can imagine how I — how I regret that now…" She sounded as though she had a sudden head cold.**

"**There, now, Minerva," said Fudge kindly, "Pettigrew died a hero's death. Eyewitnesses — Muggles, of course, we wiped their memories later — told us how Pettigrew cornered Black. They say he was sobbing, 'Lily and James, Sirius! How could you?' And then he went for his wand. Well, of course, Black was quicker. Blew Pettigrew to smithereens…"**

Sirius started crying.

James went to comfort him, but Harry convinced him to keep reading. The sooner they're done with this chapter the better.

**Professor McGonagall blew her nose and said thickly, "Stupid boy… foolish boy… he was always hopeless at dueling… should have left it to the Ministry…"**

"**I tell yeh, if I'd got ter Black before little Pettigrew did, I wouldn't've messed around with wands — I'd 've ripped him limb — from — limb," Hagrid growled.**

"**You don't know what you're talking about, Hagrid," said Fudge sharply. "Nobody but trained Hit Wizards from the Magical Law Enforcement Squad would have stood a chance against Black once he was cornered. I was Junior Minister in the Department of Magical Catastrophes at the time, and I was one of the first on the scene after Black murdered all those people. I — I will never forget it. I still dream about it sometimes. A crater in the middle of the street, so deep it had cracked the sewer below. Bodies everywhere. Muggles screaming. And Black standing there laughing, with what was left of Pettigrew in front of him… a heap of bloodstained robes and a few — a few fragments —"**

"What spell could have done that?" Lily asked

"Something very dark," Snape sighed

**Fudge's voice stopped abruptly. There was the sound of five noses being blown.**

"**Well, there you have it, Rosmerta," said Fudge thickly. "Black was taken away by twenty members of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad and Pettigrew received the Order of Merlin, First Class, which I think was some comfort to his poor mother. Black's been in Azkaban ever since."**

"Wow," Peter glowed, "a Merlin of Order, First class!"

Lily cried out, "You're friend is dead, you're dead, I'm dead and your thinking about a stupid reward!"

Peter shrank back in fear, "I'm just trying to find a silver lining. It's best to look for at least one positive."

"Oh and what positive could that be?" Lily asked

"Harry killed Voldemort, Remus is a professor, and Sirius escaped," Peter countered

Lily just glared, "You're too positive Pettigrew. One would think you didn't care."

"I care, but I know we're going to change it!" Peter shrieked back

"Let's finish the chapter, no?" James said and started reading again.

**Madam Rosmerta let out a long sigh.**

"**Is it true he's mad, Minister?"**

"**I wish I could say that he was," said Fudge slowly. "I certainly believe his master's defeat unhinged him for a while. The murder of Pettigrew and all those Muggles was the action of a cornered and desperate man — cruel… pointless. Yet I met Black on my last inspection of Azkaban. You know, most of the prisoners in there sit muttering to themselves in the dark; there's no sense in them… but I was shocked at how normal Black seemed. He spoke quite rationally to me. It was unnerving. You'd have thought he was merely bored — asked if I'd finished with my newspaper, cool as you please, said he missed doing the crossword. Yes, I was astounded at how little effect the Dementors seemed to be having on him — and he was one of the most heavily guarded in the place, you know. Dementors outside his door day and night."**

"**But what do you think he's broken out to do?" said Madam Rosmerta. "Good gracious, Minister, he isn't trying to rejoin You-Know-Who, is he?"**

"**I daresay that is his — er — eventual plan," said Fudge evasively.**

"Idiot," Harry hissed

Again only Snape heard

**"But we hope to catch Black long before that. I must say, You-Know-Who alone and friendless is one thing… but give him back his most devoted servant, and I shudder to think how quickly he'll rise again…"**

**There was a small chink of glass on wood. Someone had set down their glass.**

"**You know, Cornelius, if you're dining with the headmaster, we'd better head back up to the castle," said Professor McGonagall.**

**One by one, the pairs of feet in front of Harry took the weight of their owners once more; hems of cloaks swung into sight, and Madam Rosmerta's glittering heels disappeared behind the bar. The door of the Three Broomsticks opened again, there was another flurry of snow, and the teachers had disappeared.**

"**Harry?"**

"You must be in shock!" Lily said sadly

**Ron's and Hermione's faces appeared under the table. They were both staring at him, lost for words.**

'That's the end of the chapter."

* * *

**A/N: I love this chapter! The next one coming up is ****The Firebolt.**


	17. Chapter 17

Author Note:

First I would like to say I am soooo sorry about this, but I have decided to purge my stories of stories that I think will improve my writing and stories I feel will not. This is a story I will no longer be updating and will take down within the week or so.

Please forgive me for not updating for the longest time and then dicontinuing with such short notice, but this is my decision and I have many other stories for you to read if you want to.

Thank You for Understanding,

HM

PS: Some great, finished reading the books stories are:

Hogwarts Reading the Harry Potter Books by The Royal Cupcake

Of Reading Harry Potter Series by Marauder-And-Lily-I-Love

Reading The Future by abete rosso

Reading the Prisoner of Azkaban by jimill9 (Her series is complete and she has already started working on a follow up series)

Reading With the Weaslys by Writer Sage


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